O, the pure delight of a single hour, that before Thy throne I spend (Fanny Crosby – I Am Thine, O Lord)…Really! An hour! I have a hard time keeping my mind focused for a few minutes!
My desire to honor the principle of the Sabbath in my weekly routine (a ‘take away’ from my summer Sabbatical) got off to great start the first 2-3 weeks; this week is proving to more challenging to carve out that one day in seven…but there’s still time to redeem this week! I’m learning just how much of challenge this is! It sounds simple, one in seven but it is so very hard to put into practice.
Last week as I sat outside listening to worship music and seeking to be still in the presence of the Lord, I found it incredibility difficult to do just that – to be still. My body wanted to go to some yard work that needed to be done and my mind was all over the place. I began to think about the message for Sunday and had to resist the temptation to go to the computer to make some notes. And then one of the songs I was listening to turned my mind to our worship and I wanted to go and make a note of an idea! All the while the words of Psalm 46:10 were being pushed to the back of my mind: Be still and know that I am God.
At one point, I looked over at Chara, who was lying in her usual spot on our deck box, soaking up the sunshine. She was just quietly taking in all the things around her and didn’t seem to have a care in the world. A grasshopper caught her attention for the moment and then a blowing leaf—she was totally focused on what was happening in the present. I don’t think her mind was racing ahead, wondering about what’s for dinner or if a walk was in the afternoon plans. As I watched her she seemed to be ‘in the moment’, just happy to sitting outside with her master. She was content to come and sit by my feet and so very happy to have me recognize her presence with a gentle scratch behind her ears.
As I thought about that experience, I realized how God longs for us to simply be in His presence; to present with Him in those moments and to allow Him to build up and encourage and comfort and strengthen us as we learn to abide with Him.
The Bible says: The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17).
What would it be like to enter the presence of our Father; to bask in the truth that he delights in me; to let Him affirm his love for me and to hear my God rejoicing over me with singing?
Lord, take me to that place. I still have so much to learn; teach me what it is to be present with You in the moments of my day. Let me hear your voice and know the joy of You rejoicing over me in song.
My desire to honor the principle of the Sabbath in my weekly routine (a ‘take away’ from my summer Sabbatical) got off to great start the first 2-3 weeks; this week is proving to more challenging to carve out that one day in seven…but there’s still time to redeem this week! I’m learning just how much of challenge this is! It sounds simple, one in seven but it is so very hard to put into practice.
Last week as I sat outside listening to worship music and seeking to be still in the presence of the Lord, I found it incredibility difficult to do just that – to be still. My body wanted to go to some yard work that needed to be done and my mind was all over the place. I began to think about the message for Sunday and had to resist the temptation to go to the computer to make some notes. And then one of the songs I was listening to turned my mind to our worship and I wanted to go and make a note of an idea! All the while the words of Psalm 46:10 were being pushed to the back of my mind: Be still and know that I am God.
At one point, I looked over at Chara, who was lying in her usual spot on our deck box, soaking up the sunshine. She was just quietly taking in all the things around her and didn’t seem to have a care in the world. A grasshopper caught her attention for the moment and then a blowing leaf—she was totally focused on what was happening in the present. I don’t think her mind was racing ahead, wondering about what’s for dinner or if a walk was in the afternoon plans. As I watched her she seemed to be ‘in the moment’, just happy to sitting outside with her master. She was content to come and sit by my feet and so very happy to have me recognize her presence with a gentle scratch behind her ears.
As I thought about that experience, I realized how God longs for us to simply be in His presence; to present with Him in those moments and to allow Him to build up and encourage and comfort and strengthen us as we learn to abide with Him.
The Bible says: The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17).
What would it be like to enter the presence of our Father; to bask in the truth that he delights in me; to let Him affirm his love for me and to hear my God rejoicing over me with singing?
Lord, take me to that place. I still have so much to learn; teach me what it is to be present with You in the moments of my day. Let me hear your voice and know the joy of You rejoicing over me in song.
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