Be Still And Know

Psalm 25:6 NLT  'Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past.' We live in a fast-moving and often brutal world, often forced to live at a pace that leaves us breathless. We easily tire under the weight of life’s competing demands. So many of the prayer requests I receive reflect today’s challenge of affordable rent, employment opportunities and financial stability. It is evident we have to navigate our way through a pressured life that increasingly challenges our mental health.  Recently I received notice from a credit agency that I owed my old mobile phone company money. It was a small sum, around £28. I wanted to challenge this since I’d cancelled my account appropriately. Then the problems began. Firstly, there was no phone number to talk to a fellow human. After trying to talk to a human being, eventually I paid up, under the threat of further penalty charges.  Fortunately God is not some unreachable rule-enforcer. He is a personal friend who works with u

Psalm 25:4 NLT 'Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.' I’ve wondered many times what it is I’m here on this earth to do. When younger, I was anxious to realise my potential, assuming there was a particular path I must pursue. I never satisfied this inner demand that I find my calling. I had a low boredom threshold, so once I had accomplished something, I’d want to move on to something new. It is useful to get to know oneself, since we’re all wired differently and realising our potential in serving God is directly related to our character. I thrive on change. However, I recognised I must deal with this insistent voice that told me my life added up to very little. Here I had the first great revelation since my conversion. God was interested in me, far more than in anything I did. It initially felt uncomfortable since it flew in the face of all I’d assumed about God’s purpose. God’s way was simple. It was to get to know him better. So I became a better human being, available to ser

Psalm 25:1-2 NLT  'O Lord, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.'  Like all idioms, the phrase “to give one’s life to” carries a meaning far deeper than the phrase initially suggests. We often use it when reflecting upon someone’s career: “She gave her life to cancer research.” It is perhaps easier to see the coherence of a life by gazing into the rear-view mirror, than looking straight ahead. When I first gave my life to Jesus, I was both excited and serious. Perhaps I wanted some emotional validation for my prayer of commitment, a sign of God’s presence experienced through my senses. Worship gatherings and powerful communicators encourage us all to respond to a variety of things, and I felt many powerful emotions.   Over time, I realised such emotions were short-lived. I could not rely upon them to carry me through difficulties. They were also poor guides to the will and way of God, since they generally insisted on satisfying my ow

Ruth 1:16 NLT  But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” I have ditched God occasionally, drawn by some distraction that caught my heart. Yet God does not rush to any swift judgement because of my waywardness. Why would he need to, since he knows more about me than I will ever know about myself? It seems, however, that our humanity is wired towards criticism, notably of others yet equally of ourselves. Perhaps it’s a British thing, but complaint appears to be seeded deep within our DNA. Even when asked how we are, we respond: “I can’t complain.” I have taken quite some time to throw off the cynicism such criticism births. For too long I confused being clever with being a master of the sharp reply. Time has taught me to quieten my inner critic and wait for God’s presence. Life is only ever complete when in God’s presence, or in hot pursuit of my Lord.   So in this latter se

Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT  'Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.' I quote this verse far too often, to myself, but also to family and friends. Quoting is easy: confidently living out its content proves exceptionally challenging. When gazing back over my life, I see quite a lot of fear and discouragement. As a young Christian I met disappointment with frustration, often expressed in angry outbursts. I lacked a lot of self-control – yet it was one of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) I received upon choosing to follow Jesus. It cost me nothing. For so long, I failed to realise God’s provision was already within my grasp. My problem was my failure, or unwillingness, to take hold of this fruit and apply it in managing any difficult set of circumstances. I have spent much time wondering at my stupidity and inability to take hold of what was already mine in Christ and secure the benefits for a less tempestu

Luke 9:23-24 NLT  Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” I have spent many hours trying to hang on to my own life. Who doesn’t invest time reflecting on who they really are? The internet is awash with courses offering answers to the mysteries of our psychological make-up, and I serve as a spiritual coach and director, so I have bought into the people development business.   Jesus’ emphasis was to redirect our gaze from ourselves to our creator. This makes sense, since the one who crafted me is the one who truly knows me. Yet an insistent voice within me demands the right of self-expression, often at the expense and suppression of others expressing themselves. So what will I compromise to secure my desired ambitions? Jesus is uncompromising in his teaching. No one can carry a cross inconspicuously.

John 6:26-27 NLT  Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life...” I’m not sure it was easier for those first disciples who’d actually seen and been with Jesus, though we might wonder. Faith is required, regardless of whether Jesus is present as he was throughout his incarnate ministry on earth or today, when we encounter that same presence through the grace of God’s Spirit.   On this occasion the crowds who had enjoyed a free picnic go in search of Jesus on the far side of the lake. The night before, they had attempted to make him their king. Jesus sees their motive and contrasts their material desires with their failure to perceive their spiritual poverty. And I see myself within that crowd. There is the constant desire within me: I want Jesus to resolve all my issues.   As Jesus explains later in the chapter, he is all we

Matthew 4:18-20 NLT  One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers – Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew…Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. What so caught the attention of the first disciples, that they walked away from their jobs and followed Jesus? Was something of his immortality breaking through? Or did his charisma draw them? Maybe he spoke with such authority, they had to follow him. They soon saw that Jesus was the Messiah. In John’s Gospel, the first disciples heard the Baptist announce that Jesus was “the Lamb of God” and immediately set out to discover more. They turned their attention from God’s prophet to God’s Son. ‘To follow’ is to choose to go to the same place as someone. They want to keep close to Jesus. Over time, the Church came to understand that to follow Jesus was to choose to live one’s life dedicated to God to the degree that Jesus did. It

Psalm 134:1-2 NLT  'Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you who serve at night in the house of the Lord. Lift your hands toward the sanctuary, and praise the Lord.' Once I’ve entered my day, time appears to rush by. Pursuing my rhythm of prayer as a contemplative, managing the Oratory, responding to the questions of those seeking advice, life is full. The day makes many demands and sometimes it’s a challenge maintaining my focus on God. I guess we all face that daily challenge.  If I have started my ‘day pilgrimage’ by laying a solid foundation as outlined this week, then I am better placed to reach the end of the day with a heart still resting in the Lord. It is then I once again want to encounter God.   So my day ends as it began. I tell God of the goodness I enjoy as a result of our friendship, the blessing of God. I refuse to let life and my daily experience silence me. Regardless of the wounds inflicted through my daily interactions, I declare what I know is true of God, despite my feeling

Psalm 131:2 NLT  'Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.'  In a noisy world, one of the greatest challenges we face is finding space for ourselves, away from the demands that stalk our every waking moment. The pressures of daily living are intense. Reviewing the many prayer requests that cross my desk reveals the intense strain that finding regular employment, affordable housing and managing ongoing health conditions places on us. It is incredibly difficult to take each day at a time, when anxieties about the future encircle us. We are easily robbed of any sense of peace.  There have been periods when I have been unable to sleep. Awake, I’ve battled the most terrifying thoughts. While the dawn often brings a welcome measure of balance, I can’t completely shake off the spell cast by such extreme anxiety.   Yet I have discovered, amid many disappointments, and with my fears encamped around me, that

Psalm 130:5-6 NLT  'I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn...' What is your first thought, when you wake up? I go into day having offered my first thoughts to God. I have a very simple sequence of three prayers committed to memory.  Someone asked me recently about the difference between formal and informal prayer. It is often a matter of personal preference. Although caricatured as an anarchist, I like boundaries. I love the regular prayer rhythms that measure my routine in the Oratory. Prayer repetition means many are committed to memory, so I can more easily live below the head noise that distracts me from the focus of my prayer life. In my experience, spontaneity demands a lot of creative energy, drawing me away from simply abiding in Christ.  Having prepared the Oratory for the day ahead, organised my wife’s packed lunch, fed the dog, each activity accompanied

Ephesians 4:21-23 NLT 'Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.' Some time ago, over a period of months, I lost a considerable amount of weight. One consequence was that my clothes were too large for me and I had to replace them with new outfits. When we pursue God, metaphorically we change our diet. We no longer feed off the contemporary drivers that inform culture, but invite God to signpost how we are to live. Becoming a Christian is not to accessorise our life, but to completely change our fashion sense. Our lives slowly reflect a set of values that are not instinctive. The God life demands we pay close attention to our conscience, which is an inbuilt navigation guide. Just as a yacht that has been sailing the globe for some time needs to be taken into dry dock so that the barnacles and other growths can b

Ephesians 4:16 NLT 'He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.' The wonderful truth is that we are not born to live isolated and lonely lives. Just as God is a Trinity, a community of interrelating persons of divinity, so we are created for relationship or, more simply, friendship. We enjoy friendship with God and that finds its fullest expression within the mutuality of our interpersonal relationships. Church is the vehicle which is intended to give the fullest expression to that mutuality. Just as our hearts yearn for companionship with God, we are designed to live in communion with each other. It’s why none of us is gifted for everything. Work gets done as we pull together and draw upon the rich diversity of gifts dispersed across humanity. While all humanity seeks relationship, it is most clearly achieved within the Church, for here by Christ’s action there is no sepa

Ephesians 4:15 NLT 'Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.' Speaking the truth can prove daunting. It’s often easier to modify what we say to save ourselves and others embarrassment. Working as I’ve done for many years with people from diverse international backgrounds, I’ve discovered a lot about how we Brits are perceived. With all our courteous language, our ‘pleases’ and ‘thank yous’, we are often seen as difficult to understand. Remember the old Western movies where the phrase, ‘White man speaks with forked tongue’ would occur? That’s how we are often understood by others who tend to be more direct in their speech. At the same time, I do not want to use the truth to cause someone else to lose face and feel awkward. I want them to benefit from what I am saying, and they can’t do that if in some way I shame them or subsequently it is clear I was economical with the truth I shared with them. Jesus is always straightf

Ephesians 4:14 NLT 'Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.' In the Oratory garden we have a number of fruit trees. Every spring their future harvest is heralded by the appearance of blossom, which is beautiful, but only the promise of what is yet to come. In much the same way, we begin our Christian journey as blossom. Bright and beautiful expressions of the future promise of God seeded within each one of us. Finding Christ is but the first stage; the end goal is to grow up into maturity. Every one of us who has passed through childhood, into adolescence and then the stages of adulthood recognises that even at a physical and emotional level, maturing is tough. It demands decisions and constant readjustments as those decisions, despite being well-intentioned, prove to be no longer appropriate. Equally, in our pursuit of God we are to m

Revelation 3:20 NLT 'Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.' One day last winter I became distracted by a background sound, which while not loud, was constant and invaded my consciousness. After a long, exasperating search, I eventually tracked the source to a heating valve. A simple adjustment and what had become a significant distraction was dealt with. Once again, I could hear silence and the regular sounds of our home. Listening to God is a bit like that. God’s faint knocking is persistent in the background, seeking to attract our attention. However, with so many distractions demanding our consideration, legitimately and illegitimately, it’s all too often lost within the cacophony of sounds that fill our lives. These are the daily demands of work, family, friendship and fun. The anxieties that besiege us together with the fears we each carry. This is one key reason we can feel as though God is silent. The

Psalm 37:3-5 NLT 'Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.' I don’t trust my heart’s desires. They are usually selfish and all about my comfort and well-being. Yet, the psalmist declares that God will grant me my heart’s desires. Maybe there’s a contextual problem here. In an individualistic, materialistic society, it’s difficult not to become wrapped up in self-indulgence. My horizons are very often established around what I determine is in my best interest. This, of course, is not God’s way. Jesus taught that our interests are first to be directed towards God, and then to the other. There is an established framework for this ‘heart’s desire’ equation. Listening to God must begin with implicit trust in God, as I won’t follow the advice of someone I don’t trust. The quality of our friendship with God can be measured by the degree t

John 8:46-47 NLT 'Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.' The Gospels present the story of Jesus’ life and ministry with claims that Jesus is the Son of God and the redeemer of humanity. Jesus invites us to make a close inspection of his life and to explore his claims. If we find there is an authenticity to those claims, we are invited to accept Jesus’ message as the source for truth in understanding our life and experience on earth. This informs the way we read the Bible as God’s living word. This means that we might meet Jesus daily within its pages. My own very practical decisions to simplify my life were initiated through my encounter with God in scripture. Having not merely acknowledged Jesus’ invitation to live with one coat, not two, I felt compelled to work out what that meant for the way I choose to live. I sensed G

Proverbs 2:1-5 NLT 'My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.' ‘Wisdom’ derives from the root word meaning ‘to see’. The very name of our species, homo sapiens, signifies ‘wise man’. Yet, wisdom is not something that is taught. Indeed, the great philosophers of old recognised that wisdom was not a form of knowledge but a recognition of the limits to their own knowledge. As Socrates said: “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” And this is how we are to approach God. Always with a recognition of our lack of understanding and in humility. Wisdom, then, is not enhanced understanding or knowledge, rather it’s a way of seeing life and building a perception on life, one that is built upon God. As we go in search of

Psalm 25:4-5 NLT 'Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.'  Listening to God sounds both logical and self-explanatory. As God’s followers, why wouldn’t we listen to God? Yet, the very art of listening raises so many questions. How might I hear God’s voice? Does it equate to my feelings? Isn’t there a danger I just make everything up and deceive myself? These are all good questions. The fact that we ask them is a good sign. We acknowledge we are disposed to confusing our own preferences with God’s leading. However, there’s no other way to move forward. We always run the risk of getting things wrong. Like the first disciples, we can only learn from our mistakes. God is often presented as a father. Any parent knows that children will make mistakes. Sometimes these are honest errors of judgement, while at other times they’re wilful decisions taken for apparent advantage. The paren