From the Shadow

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”

For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.

No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent.

Psalm 91:1-2, 9-10 (NAS)

As soon as summer began, I hit the ground running! On the last day of work, I headed out of town for a dynamic weekend with youth at church camp, I was home for a few days of working around the house and preparing for my next trip. After picking up a friend from the airport, we headed off to Tennessee for the School of Healing and Impartation. The schedule was demanding, but I enjoyed the fast pace and plentiful company! The rhythmic tide of summer brought me home again for a few days before my journey to Kentucky. My seminary class was full and we sat elbow to elbow all week long. In the evenings, I went home to a room in someone else's home. Having so little time to myself last week helped me realize again my need for time and space of my own. 

Tomorrow, I will have been home for a week. I have not settled into a regular schedule. In the midst of my random busy-ness, I am reminded of a task that helped me to develop a pattern of disciplines. Last year, I wrote a Rule of Life for myself - a list of the meaningful, helpful, valuable things I would like to remember to take time for regularly. It's time to look back at this, make some adjustments and begin to implement disciplines that I have neglected. 

Do you have a Rule of Life? Have you heard of this before? I had very limited exposure to the concept, but as I began to learn about the Rule of Life I was able to recognize where I had seen evidence of it in the lives of others. Rather than a list of tasks like a to do list, it is a reminder of the things we can do to nurture ourselves and participate in our relationship with God. The rule of life is a structure, like a spiritual house, a dwelling place. It is a means of establishing that time and space that we need as spiritual beings. Having such a structure provides an environment in which we can thrive - like a spiritual greenhouse. It also becomes a refuge, a covering for times of difficulty. 

God, you brought order to the chaos "in the beginning".

You created us in your image - to create and to have dominion.

Inspire us by the Holy Spirit to bring holy order and beauty to our lives.

We choose to set our lives apart as a dwelling place for you.

Open our eyes to understand your design

so that we can continue the work of Christ in the world.

Amen.

Hey, Jude!

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, 

I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith

that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.

Jude :3 (NIV)

I confess that I have never successfully completed one of those "read-the-Bible-in-a year" programs. I started Disciple Bible Study twice and dropped out each time! There are several short and obscure books in the Bible that I have not been intentional about studying. As a young Christian, I was especially eager to learn about the faith from other more mature Christians. I remember one day during my freshman year of college, I ran into my friend Becky at the Wesley Foundation. Becky was relaxing on the couch reading the Bible. When I asked what she was reading, she quickly responded, "Philippians!" I realized in that moment that I knew nothing about Philippians other than that it was in the New Testament. My Bible reading had been very limited and I really hadn't read much beyond the Gospels and Psalms. 

Becky was one of the vibrant Christians I met in college who challenged and inspired my faith. She openly shared her faith with others and worshiped Jesus as if she really knew and loved him. I was intrigued. If Becky was reading Philippians, then count me in, I was reading it too! Reading the Epistles became part of my journey of faith. Each one of these letters in the New Testament served as instruction that guided me along my transition from the teen years into young adulthood. Paul and the other Epistle writers had a way of cutting to the chase as they approached real life issues. I was challenged by the message of these letters and empowered by the Holy Spirit as I began to walk out my faith in daily life.

For some reason, it never occurred to me to question whether the scriptures were "culturally relevant" or not. I was not engaged in historical or literary criticism during that season of life, but in a quest for solutions for daily living. I needed a guidebook and a mentor. In the Epistles, I found that. Paul became for me a big brother in the faith. During the times that I have heeded his advice, even in times of struggle, the results have been beneficial. While I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the value of critical methods of studying scripture, sometimes - especially in times of contending for the faith - I just need to curl up on the couch and read a letter from a friend. 

 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, 

and to make you stand in the presence 

of His glory blameless with great joy, 

to the only God our Savior, 

through Jesus Christ our Lord, 

be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, 

before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Jude :24-25 (NASB)

Joining Heaven's Activity

The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship

him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

Revelation 4:10-11 (NIV)

I really enjoy keeping a packed schedule! Over the last few years, I have become involved in several communities of faith that have propelled me forward in things of the Spirit. Participating in prayer and worship with other Christians has wonderfully filled my calendar and my heart. I love the Body of Christ! There are not many things as satisfying as being in unity with others as we love and serve God. When we connect as the body and the bride of Christ on earth, we are joining in with the activity of heaven! We are becoming the manifestation of the answer to the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray: "...on earth as it is in heaven." 

A few years ago, being with people was not so easy for me. In a difficult season of life, I had to force myself to get out of the house. Venturing out into terra incognito, I found solitude in places of worship where I was "unknown". The local house of prayer was one such place. Ironically, the unfamiliarity, noise, and activity provided a safe place for me to be alone with God during a time when being by myself at home was too painfully isolating. As I soaked in the Presence of God at the house of prayer, healing began to be evident in my life. Dynamics changed as the house of prayer became a place where I was a regular.

Each of us has to discover our own balance of time in community and time in solitude. For those of us who lean toward extroversion, carving out time and space for solitude can be a challenge. We each have to learn to listen for the Holy Spirit's direction concerning scheduled and spontaneous time apart from the crowd. Yesterday as I left work, I heard that still small voice loudly and clearly, "Come away!" My longing to rest in His Presence was greater than the draw of social media and the exciting new book I'd just acquired! Silence was more satisfying than my favorite worship playlist. This morning, when I awakened an hour early, I remained still and silent for over an hour as I was keenly aware of the activity of heaven. 

Jesus, you are the Only Worthy One!

Draw me into Your Presence daily whether I am in a crowd or in solitude.

I praise You for the mystery of joining in with the activity of heaven.

I thank You for the gifts of friends, books, and music!

More than those things, I treasure Your friendship, 

the words You share with me in the Secret Place, 

and the song that my heart sings when I have been with You!

Amen.

Affections of the Heart

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, my God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV)

Time and time again, I am reminded of the depth of my capacity to love and to form attachments to others. I believe this is both a gift from God as well as a point of vulnerability for me. I am drawn to kindred spirits, people who hunger for intimacy, thrive on understanding matters of the heart, and desire to live as faithful lovers of Jesus. Like any craving, it seems that the more I relate deeply with these friends of God, the more the longing increases! Having the constant capability to connect and communicate through technology and various forms of social media feeds my hunger!


Recently, I've been led to pray the prayer that Misty Edwards sings in "Fling Wide". For several days now, I've awakened each morning to "test me, try me, prove me, refine me..." pouring through my heart. The first time I heard this song in the house of prayer, I hesitated to sing the lyrics. I really wasn't so sure that I wanted to invite a holy God to carry out an invasive deep cleaning of my life! This refiner's fire is necessary and inevitable! Now, I am yielding my will to the Holy Spirit - still with some hesitation, but eagerly trusting in the goodness of God to complete this work! I am asking for the light of Christ to shine in the dark corners of my life.


Yesterday, the Holy Spirit gently reminded me that I need more solitude. I know it's true! I want to hang out in the Presence of God, hear the things that He has to say to me personally, to rest and wait on God. I was eager to pass this message along to others, "abide in Him", "be still and know", "come away". While I was being instructed, I passed this word along to others as I passed up the opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus. My longing to connect and communicate with other friends of God overshadowed my longing for God himself!

Jesus, I give you the affections of my heart.

I ask you to to keep getting my attention when I am distracted.

Thank you for the good gifts of friendship, communication, and technology.

Help me to keep my gaze fixed on You as I enjoy these good things.

Draw me away from the interactions with others and into greater intimacy with you.

Only you can satisfy the deep longings of my heart!

Amen.