tagged 
Quiet, Spiritual formation
Quiet, Spiritual formation Matters Too Wonderful for Me
Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 12:02PM In just a year and a half of blogging I’ve noticed a disturbing trend: we would much rather talk about the church than about ourselves. When I post something about the church at large, the number of visitors to this site soars and comments pour in. Everyone rushes to the table where the state of the church is sliced, diced, and analyzed in detail. With the mere mention of a Christian celebrity I can purchase hundreds more visitors to my site.
If, however, I post something about our individual need to wait for God in silence, or our personal destiny to become conformed to his image, I get the internet equivalence of chirping crickets. Nothing. Like busking in the Metro, everyone hurries by. And why not? Christianity is way more fun when we’re talking about other people. Following Jesus isn’t such a joyride if he wants to talk to me.
I’m sure today’s snarky tone doesn’t help--no one likes a scold. And it’s true, I am one of us as well. I would much rather pontificate on the issues facing Christendom across the continent than listen to the still small voice addressing the secrets of my heart. I would rather do significant things. I want to be a part of important conversations.
Image my surprise when I found the private notes of a world leader who longed to hear the whisper spoken to him alone. A man who held a position of national significance, no, wait--historical importance. Yet he was a man who positioned himself in the quiet place and waited for his best friend to come and sit with him.
My heart is not proud, O LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore. (~ Psalm 131, a psalm of David)
both now and forevermore. (~ Psalm 131, a psalm of David)
God took the boy out of the shepherd’s field and put him in the palace, but not before embedding the hillside, the breeze, the night sky and the quiet times into his heart. The Biblical histories of Samuel and Chronicles will tell you the palace was a place filled with intrigue, politics, war and power--and it was. The Psalms and Proverbs will tell you that David took time to climb the stairs, shut the door, and pick up the harp.
Our greatest need--my greatest need--is the daily presence of the Holy Spirit. When David knew he had stepped over the line, claiming power and privilege as some sort of birth right, he repented before the Lord and begged that the presence would remain:
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51: 10-11)
or take your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51: 10-11)
At the end of each day, literally, as I lay me down to sleep, my Father won’t be impressed with my intellect or insight. He’ll be concerned with the beat of my heart. In the quiet (if there is quiet) he will want to know if I lived a whole-hearted life that day. Did my actions spring from the well of the Spirit or the treadmill of importance? He will be concerned with these questions because he knows that spiritual formation happens each day. The only question is: what have we formed?
Reader Comments (7)
"he knows that spiritual formation happens each day"
amen and again i say amen!
So true, Ray. We want to hear the mighty voice of God for our big decisions, and see Him bless our ministries and plans, but it's so hard to just stop and say, "Lord, what's Your take on this? What are You saying now?" and even then, it's too easy to have an agenda. We think, "ok, I'll feel guilty going through with this thing without God's stamp of approval, so I'll pray until I get it." But what kind of relationship is that, to just go to Him with your ideas and plans, to get a stamp of approval? Sounds like a office worker with a disinterested boss.
We get to experience so much more life when we meet Him and communicate with Him daily, in the small moments of our lives.
That's how I want my life to look, and I'm working toward it, though it's not always easy.
You are right Ray, it is easier (an probably more interesting) to discuss birds eye view stuff than private struggles. But allow me to tease a little - if I were analyzing this like a scientist (wink), I would have to point out that in one instance you asked for comments and in another you did not ; )
The best experiments are identical in every way save one variable - the point of interest. As to celebrities...well, God help us all.
For the record, I do not think God is impressed with science anymore than he is art or intelligence.
I love your blog!
Super interesting thoughts, Ray. This is beautifully put, and so true of me, too:
"I would much rather pontificate on the issues facing Christendom across the continent than listen to the still small voice addressing the secrets of my heart."
There's no doubt about it—it's much harder to know how to share and respond to those secrets of the heart. So scary and risky! But I hope you know that those still, small inner voices grow a bit in volume and activity when stirred by blogs like yours, even if the comments don't point to what's going on inside.
Greetings all:
Steve: Remember C.S. Lewis' quote that we have never met a mere mortal, rather each of us is advancing toward an eternal destiny, either glorious or hideous. We are, in part, of our own making.
Adrienne: Your life is an inspiration, you've come so far for your few years on the planet. (Ah, youth!)
Samwise: Yes, you got me--I did, in fact, pitifully plead for comments last time out. But still, that's been my experience overall. And yes, God save us from celebrities (and Celebrity).
Kristin: Thanks for your encouraging words. Let's both determine to live where it's "scary and risky."
Super interesting thoughts, Ray. This is beautifully put, and so true of me, too:
"I would much rather pontificate on the issues facing Christendom across the continent than listen to the still small voice addressing the secrets of my heart."
There's no doubt about it—it's much harder to know how to share and respond to those secrets of the heart. So scary and risky! But I hope you know that those still, small inner voices grow a bit in volume and activity when stirred by blogs like yours, even if the comments don't point to what's going on inside.
Greetings all:
Steve: Remember C.S. Lewis' quote that we have never met a mere mortal, rather each of us is advancing toward an eternal destiny, either glorious or hideous. We are, in part, of our own making.
Adrienne: Your life is an inspiration, you've come so far for your few years on the planet. (Ah, youth!)
Samwise: Yes, you got me--I did, in fact, pitifully plead for comments last time out. But still, that's been my experience overall. And yes, God save us from celebrities (and Celebrity).
Kristin: Thanks for your encouraging words. Let's both determine to live where it's "scary and risky."