Simplicity can be Overwhelming
Today I took the day off… I went away… A day of fasting and in prayer. Going into the World Race, I thought I would never, ever get alone time and that scared me. I need alone time. But I have learned that this is my race… If it means getting up before everyone wakes up in the morning to have Jesus time, then that's what I need to do. If it means staying up at night to journal and reflect, then that's what I need to do. But it's my race. And today I felt God calling me to spend the day fasting and in prayer. I have never fasted before and I have never spent the entire day focused on God and prayer… It was so good…. So peaceful… So quiet.
But sometimes the simplicity and the quiet can be overwhelming. I went to 'the cabin' that has rocking chairs on the porch. Settled in with a blanket and warm clothes, and began to listen. Ok God, I am here… Listening… Speak to me.
But silence.
Ok God. I have taken the entire day off just for you…. And I got nothing… I hear nothing… Why? Most of my life I struggled with the vague notion that God wanted to talk to me and I just wasn't listening hard enough. The God I read about in the Bible regularly interacts not only with mankind, but with specific men and women.
"David inquired of God… God answered him." 1 Chronicles 14:14-16
Heavenly Father, where did David get this habit of asking you questions? Why is it that you want us to ask you questions? What do you want to show me about this Scripture?
I quickly learned that God wants a two-way conversation. He doesn't want just me saying prayers each morning and he doesn't want me to just be silent on my day off… He desires a two way conversation. God created us to be relational beings. Two way communication is important for everyday relationships, and therefore it is also important with our relationship with God. He created me to be relational.
From the book: The Art of Listening Prayer by Seth Barnes (paraphrased)
God expects us to initiate dialogue, just as we would in any personal relationship. Matthew 7:7 says, "Ask and it will be given to you.". We have to ask God a question first. And God wants to answer our question; he doesn't want to exasperate us. Too often, however, after posing a question, we lack the faith or patience to wait for God's response. Or we doubt that he will answer us. (James 1:5-8) We have to be still, in order to hear God's response. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God.". Being still in this sense means more than physical inactivity, it implies a stillness of mind and spirit.
God speaks. But first I have to initiate the conversation…. I have to have faith that He will speak and that He does speak…. And I have to be still enough to listen to His still and quiet voice. Through this morning, I was reminded of when the Lord appeared to Elijah:
"The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper…" 1 Kings 19:11-12
God sometimes speaks through a gentle whisper, but I have to be still enough to hear his voice. Today was just what I needed. I am in a state of constantly learning…. Learning to be still… Learning to listen… Learning to ask questions.
"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.". Jeremiah 29:12-13
Lord God, I confess that I don't call nearly enough, listen hard enough, and too
often, I seek you half-heartedly. What does it mean to seek you with all my heart?
My prayer today is this:
"teach me your ways, O Lord,
And I will walk in your truth;
Give me an undivided heart,
That I may fear your name."
-Psalms 86:11
