OUR COVENANT CONNECTION OF QUIETUDE

OUR COVENANT CONNECTION OF QUIETUDE

 We 21^st century people are far too busy for our own good.  All day, there’s an endless array of places to go, things to do, people to see, etc., etc., etc.  The result: our society seems to collectively yearn for ME-TIME.  We have an urgent need to somehow displace the chaos of incessant busyness and inhabit personal islands of solitary peace.  While I cannot dispute the need to have sufficient time for one’s self, it’s more of a necessity to pursue quiet communication with our Creator.

 Early African converts to Christianity were extremely earnest about (and dedicated to) their private devotions.  As such, Christians reportedly picked separate spots in the bush where they would pour out their hearts to God.  Over time, the paths to these prayer places became quite worn.  As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it soon became apparent to the others.  They would kindly remind the backsliding brother or sister, “The grass grows on your path.”

 It is mission critical to start every day in quality time with God.  The famed 19^th century preacher, Henry Ward Beecher, wrote “The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day.”  It guides the quantity and quality of one’s agenda.  A dear friend and colleague in Texas, Pastor Ron Eagleton, makes it a daily practice to make this fervent inquiry of the Lord, “What do you plan for me today?”  In other words, since we belong to God, HE must be the trusted and sole architect of the daily agenda.  In truth, all of our time, talent and treasure belong to Him and are thereby subject to His will.

 However trite and oft repeated, a sage saying reports, “Seven days without prayer makes one weak.”  Get it?  Failure to commune consistently with Christ means we become self-appointed occupants of Heaven’s throne.  We lack sufficient wisdom and knowledge for that seat, and the results can be catastrophic.

 William Wilberforce, a Christian statesman of Great Britain in the late 1800s and early 1900s, once remarked, “I must secure more time for private devotions.  I have been living far too public.  The shortening of private devotions starves my soul.  It grows lean and faint.”  Following a failure in Parliament, he decided that his problems were directly due to the fact that he had spent less and less time in private devotions where he could earnestly seek the will of God.  And Wilberforce concluded, “God allowed me to stumble.”  Some ‘stubbles’ cause us fall to our knees before the Throne of Grace.

 Friends, it is in the quiet spaces that we truly discern the heart of God.  Such spiritual intimacy causes us to abandon those shallow and superficial prayers that only seek His hand, not His face. The Psalmist David put it best: “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ my heart said to You, ‘Your face, LORD, I will seek.’”

 God-consciousness emerges in quiet moments – and it enlarges us.  Never forget: Wise men and women still seek HIM.

 Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!