|
|
QUIET MOMENTS WITH GOD
by
Josprel
"You don't want the radio on this morning do you, honey?" my wife,
Maria, asked.
Usually, during breakfast, we listened to the news. But this Monday we
added the bonus of a quiet meal to our devotions.
The previous day we held services at a church across the city. Spring
road repairs made traveling hectic. Though we allowed ample time to
arrive unhurriedly, the detour mazes repeatedly routed us into the heart
of the city. Finally, a patrol officer directed us to the expressway.
Somewhat frazzled, and in need of another quiet moment with God, we
reached our destination.
Sitting quietly in our car for several minutes, we worshiped silently
and the tenseness dissipated, replaced with God's peace. Refreshed for
service, we entered the church.
A hectic lifestyle is the accepted norm today. A friend, newly
transferred to another state by his company, was appalled at housing costs in
the new locale. The realtor informed him this was due to the demand
created by the bedroom community's close proximity to New York City,
”only a one and one half hours ride by commuter train.” For many, such
daily commutes are the norm.
Some time back, after having visited our son and his family in
Connecticut, Maria and I traveled a freeway where vehicles were crawling bumper
to bumper, four abreast. We later learned that most of the drivers were
heading to jobs in New York City, a daily commute for them - except for
weekends. Our son informed us that such traffic was the norm for that
time of day. In our generation, it’s considered normal for miles-upon
miles-long lanes of traffic to travel bumper-to-bumper, four abreast,
at crawl speed!
We all can cite comparable accounts illustrating why our society finds
it impossible to relax. In our time, the tension factor is the
accepted norm. Not immune to the standard, Christians also feel the
resulting pressures. Therefore, in addition to personal prayer, we habitually
should replenish ourselves, at convenient intervals, by quiet moments
with God. Such unregimented getaways may be enjoyed anywhere we can
make time for them.
Believers in gentler generations understood the value of quiet moments
with God. Long ago, an anonymous writer penned words apt to our times:
"There is a restlessness and a fretfulness in these days, which stand
like two granite walls against godliness. Contentment is almost
necessary to godliness, and godliness is absolutely necessary to contentment.
A very restless man will never be very godly, and a very godly man will
never be a very restless man. 'Be still and know that I am God.'"
C. H. Spurgeon, quoting Matthew Poole, wrote that the still waters of
Psalm 23 "...are opposed to great rivers, which both affright the sheep
with their noise, and expose them to the danger of being carried away
by their swift and violent streams, whilst they are drinking from them."
The Apostle Paul noted that for Christians to avoid society's
debilitating tides, it would be necessary to "...go out of the world" (I Cor.
5:10). This being so, the noise and dangers of modern "violent streams"
sometimes do "affright" us. By repairing often to the quietness of our
Shepherd's pastures, we permit His Presence to assuage the strains and
tensions our times engender.
Jesus scheduled periodic rest from intense activity for His disciples.
His words, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a
while," highlight the soul's quest for quiet moments with God (Mark 6:31
NKJ). For Christ, solitary times received high priority. His custom of
retreating into quietness with the Father emphasizes this need in each
of us. If the Master required quiet moments with His Father, we, much
more!
In his hymn “In the Garden” C. Austin Miles wrote that he began his
quiet times with God "... while the dew is still on the roses..." and
extended them until nightfall. Most likely, our calendars render such a
schedule impossible. But, as we glean frequent, daily intervals for
quiet times with the Lord, we still may withdraw from these hypertensive
times to hear His voice. During these quiet moments, wherever we may be
is transformed into a garden of fellowship, where He assures us we are
His own.
-30-
josprel@verizon.net
© Josprel (Joseph Perrello)
About the Author:
Note from Josprel: I wrote "Quiet Moments with God" after
Maria and I returned home from a visit to our son in Connecticut. Upon
leaving, while traveling an eight lane freeway in the early morning
hours, we found ourselves in traffic so heavy that, for miles, we were
compelled to drive with our bumper almost touching the car in front of us.
In addition, a presumably frustrated young women driving directly behind
their vehicle continuously leaned on her horn for us to go faster or
move into another lane to make way for her; neither option of which was
possible.
|
|
Management