A determined young woman slowly saunters down a backwoods country road. She is alone … by choice. No dusty trails today: she breathes in the fresh, damp air newly cleaned by the summer rain. The gravel softly grinds under her walking shoes in cadence with each step she takes. The evening sun now peeks over the whitened clouds and pierces through the shadows of the trees. The whistling birds light atop their perches, attentively watching for dinner to emerge from the wet earth. As she continues down the narrow lane, a glistening array of wild flowers dances about her in the gentle wind, their vivid colors and fragrant aroma a welcome reminder of the ingenuity and creativity of their Maker. She notices it all.
She remembers the phrase, “sometimes being is more important than doing,” and she is glad she has taken a moment to just be. This is her alone time. This is time with God and with herself; time to step back, take a breath and renew her spirit. She guards it carefully, for she knows that there are 101 projects that lie in wait to steal this moment with their seeming urgency. Phone calls to make, bills to pay, e-mails to answer, family projects to attend to, meals to plan, appointment dates to schedule, chores to complete -- but none of that is for now. The noisy burdens of reality fade into the background and are replaced by the serenade of nature as she orients her heart and mind toward the things of God, one step at a time, down that gravel road. She knows that God is in the details of life, but she also knows that big picture thinking with a big picture God will help to keep life’s priorities in the line of vision and will keep the details from becoming a noose around her neck. She is ready for renewal.
Each evening as she begins her walk, she starts by softly singing or humming an old, familiar chorus to herself:
Turn your eyes upon JesusThis is her cue to take her mind off the day’s work and focus on what is truly important. After the short song, she follows with a period of silence. Still walking and simply taking in her surroundings, she allows herself to be reminded of the splendor and majesty of the Lord God as she marvels at the beauty and complexity of His creation that surrounds her. This is a quiet time, but it is powerfully full of meaning. She practices the principles of Psalm 46:10-11:
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,She honors God during this time of silence. She allows the still small voice to direct her heart. She will soon begin to intentionally reflect on life itself, especially its purpose and her place within it. She wants to find meaning, she wants to make sure that what she does counts for something, and she wants to please God in the thoughts of her mind, the intents of her heart and the actions of her life. Inspired by Paul’s writings, she knows that contentedness and joy must be purposefully pursued and persistently practiced.
I will be exalted in the earth! The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah ” (NKJV).
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you,” (Philippians 4:6-9, NKJV).
Sometimes in the middle of her walk, during her time of purposeful reflection, there blooms an emerging competition for what will be the focus of her heart on this would-be rejuvenating journey. Some of the background noise she has worked to leave behind seems to be following her, playing its tune louder than she would like. It weighs her down just a bit before she fully recognizes it. Then, acknowledging what has happened, she turns the unwanted noise down once more. She remembers Luke’s story of Mary and Martha, and how Martha was busy working and trying to take care of the needs of the day. From Martha’s point of view, Mary was slack in attending to her responsibilities, but Jesus was pleased that Mary had stopped her busyness to spend time with Him. Putting it all in perspective, the Lord said,
“And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her,” (Luke 10:41,42, NKJV).
Mary had chosen to sit and listen at the Lord’s feet rather than be distracted by the seeming immediate needs of the day. According to the Lord, this was the most important thing of all and it represented both a connection in relationship (being with) and a connection to redemption - the manner through which life itself is restored -- by relating to the Redeemer and Giver of life.
With that gentle rebuke, she is prompted to stop her own mental busyness and as she continues to walk, she accepts the Lord’s invitation to “just be with me” while letting the worries and cares again pass by. She trusts God to direct her heart and mind as she purposefully communes with Him. With each encounter, she grows in strength, character, resolve, trust and relationship. She grows in intimacy as she lets herself just be with God.
Given the intentionality of her time with God, it is no surprise that her discipline drifts over into other areas of her life. She records some of her conversations with God, some of her thoughts and experiences, some of her longings and prayers, and particularly relevant insights from the study of God’s Word. Having kept a journal of her spiritual journey for some time, she is able to see a progression of God’s direction in her life, concrete examples of answers to prayer, and timely Divine provision. Several themes have repeated themselves, and she is grateful for God’s hand in her life. Among these themes, she has realized several aspects of spiritual contentment and personal growth.
First, she is able to capture a glimpse of who God is. God is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. By Him all things were made. He is Creator, Provider, Redeemer, and Friend. Knowing this, she is able to understand better who she is and how she is to relate to those around her. She is a child of God, a servant of God and a friend of God. She is a co-laborer in the Kingdom, along with fellow believers. She is both a giver and receiver of nurture and care. She is a giver and receiver of instruction. She is to both give love and receive love. Created in the image of God, she is lovable and she has worth. She is redeemed. With her focus on God, she has joy in her heart because she can see past the sometimes burdensome details into the realities of the truly important things in life and in the Kingdom of God. In her journal, she lists a few of those important things:
- Loving God.
- Loving people.
- Loving and accepting myself.
- Seeing myself and others as God sees us.
- Fulfilling what God has called me to do.
- Maintaining a thankful heart and a joyful spirit.
- Appreciating the small moments of life as gifts from God.
- Renewing and aligning my spirit daily in His Word.
- Accepting an invitation to intimacy with my Creator.
- Just being with Him.
It is nearing the end of her jaunt; she is almost home. The sun is setting quickly, and the frogs and fireflies have become late walking companions. She is tired and refreshed at the same time, and is sure to remember those things the Lord speaks to her heart in the quiet moments of life. Relying fully on foundations from God, she finds confidence to complete the tasks He has set before her. She finds personal strength and validation from knowing and accepting His unconditional love and His desire to just be with her each day. After a long walk with the Lord, she appreciates the rest and rejuvenation. Indeed she finds herself by becoming lost in His presence, and she realizes that the invitation to intimacy spans more than just a moment in time.
© Angela Reid, PsyD, July 2009
No comments:
Post a Comment