Weaning and Wooing
Writer Author Richard S. Adams
Christian Article
:
Bible Study
- Fiction No
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 is one of those passages that constantly draw me toward God. It always speaks through the distractions of the moment and brings me to a kinder place. Naming those hard, wounding places so one can enter the healing process is ongoing. Seeing God's nature in scriptures like these helps me let go of troubling thoughts. Reminders of God's nature can open those rooms we all avoid. Pulling back the curtains so the sun can pour through and opening the windows to wispy Portland breezes can be as refreshing as a shower, as invigorating as a great cup of coffee and as cheerful as the chimes I hear outside.
Rom 1:20 tells me we all hear God's voice, at one time or another, but try talking to a friend when you've been standing in line for two hours and the 5am doors finally open to a jostling, loud and anxious Christmas crowd. Trying to build an intimate, lasting relationship in such an environment is how I see too many Christians today.
We stand on the beach, take a deep breath and think to ourselves, "It is good to come to the beach to breathe." We sit on a grassy hill, look down on tidy farms and ask ourselves, "Why don't I come here more often?" We walk through the woods to a mountain meadow, rejoice in the beauty and ask, "When will I come here again?" Matthew 11:28-30 is all around us, waiting patiently, heartbroken because we have less time than we think. These wonderful places may stir us, but they are not necessary to have an inner life with God.
Why don't we make more time for what makes time precious? We say that self-flagellation is wrong, but a ticking clock beats us into submission. Israel was weaned from Egypt, but after forty years much of Egypt remained.
The Christian life is a life of weaning; weaning us from whatever comes between us and God, while wooing us toward God's Kingdom. Submitting to this process brings freedom.
The Western mind is Martha land. Often we hurt one another because we are off balance, falling from one place to another, from one deadline to another, always with one eye on the clock. Stop and go, stop and go. We say we would prefer to go 30 and not stop rather than 55 and stop every block. Really? Then why drive so you can read the characters above the numbers on the license plate of the car in front of you?
We need to do something about the tension that winds us tighter and tighter, causing us to say and do things we wish we could take back. There is an answer and most of us know what it is. We need to get alone with God in Scripture, submit to God's process and be weaned out of Martha land into freedom.
Finding peace will not remove crisis from your life, but it will prevent the consequences of crisis from overwhelming you. It is a process that can begin with as little as fifteen minutes a day. I heard a Rabbi say if we will commit ourselves to do a very small thing, every day, at the same time, for the rest of our lives, it will greatly change us.
Submitting to this process is not about outward show and attention. It is about the inner you, the real you (Rom 12:2) being transformed by the renewing of your mind, restored to the image of God. It is about reconnecting to life's source. It is not instant. We know deep within ourselves there is no quick fix for anything. You cannot pop yourself into a micro wave and have a new you. It is not about a new you at all. It is about finding the real you, who you are in God. (2Cor 3:18)
This is not 'New Age.' It is not about smoke and candles, but is there something wrong with anything that helps us with the process of being with God? Recently I saw a living room wall covered with Celtic crosses, different sizes and different colors. I loved it.
Do you think about God when you smell a puppy's breath, feel dew covered grass between your toes or gaze longingly at a sunset? Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised at what makes me think about the Lord. I find a candle lit room with a wall of Celtic crosses a great invitation to pray, but of course we can pray anywhere. Still, our environment does impact us, sometimes in ways we can't understand. Maybe the prayers of all those who preceded me in the cathedral at Glasgow are what stilled my spirit and made me so reverent. Whatever it was, I wish I were there now. Candles and stained glass can sometimes point our spirit toward God, but they should never come between us and the Lord.
Like the prodigal, the process begins with the realization that God has a place for you; a place of rest, a place of hope and a place of peace. Look at Mat 11:28-30 again. This is Jesus talking to you!
We have wandered far from God. Those of us who think we are tight with God may have wandered even further than the broken who finally say, "Enough is enough. I'm going home."
It's important to understand when I say process I do not mean a ten step plan. This has nothing to do with lifting yourself up by your boot straps. This is not about measuring what you claim as righteousness. It is not another self-help plan. It is relationship. It is ongoing. Take a minute to reflect on your best relationship. Think about why it is important to you. What would your life be if you had never experienced that relationship?
Is relationship a one way conversation? Communication and response are necessary. How can you claim to know God if you do not read God's word for yourself? It is not about starting, it is about finishing.
God's gifts; the ocean, mountains, sunsets, rainbows etc. do indeed speak to us. They are wonderful reminders of God's presence, but they are not God. Beautiful though they may be they are not worthy of worship. Without the compass of Scripture we can easily get lost in the invisible paths of the sea. Wisdom 14:3-4 is a non-canonical book, but I love what it says about God. " ... but it is your providence, O Father, that steers its course, because you have given it a path in the sea, and a safe way through the waves, 4 showing that you can save from every danger, so that even a person who lacks skill may put to sea.".
Reading your Bible is not the same as listening to a message on the radio, watching a preacher on television or paying close attention in church. These can all be points of conviction, reflection, even gratitude, but they are not submitting to the process of being alone with God. Each can underscore and help you understand what you read on your own, but they are not a substitution for spending personal, intimate time with God.
I know my bride by spending time with her, touching her, experiencing life with her, joy as well as sorrow. I do not know her through the opinions and assumptions of others. How can you know God through what others say? You must taste God for yourself. (Psalm 34:8)
Much has rightly been said about Christian disciplines. Richard Foster comes quickly to mind, but there is a danger of seeking the disciplines as an end in themselves. Some disciplines can bring you to a place of peace, but it is a false sense of comfort if you sit there without the Lord.
Staring out at the ocean is wonderful, but eventually I must return home. I cannot bring the presence of the ocean with me, but I know when I return to Portland, God comes too. It is important not to confuse nature with God.
Sustainability comes neither from Christian disciplines nor beautiful locations. It comes only from relationship. That being said, Christian disciplines can help me to a place where I can better hear God. Idyllic locations can remind me of the beauty that still lingers here, despite us. Community reminds me I am surrounded by God's presence in others. We've learned to know our cell phones. Their vibration or special sound tells us when to answer. Spiritual exercises, nature, and Christ following friends can help us be more receptive, but ultimately it is up to us to respond as Samuel did in 1 Sam 3:10. "Speak for your servant is listening."
Editor's Comment:
About the Writer Author
State:
Portland
Country:
Oregon
Email:
rsaofyap@yahoo.com
Website:
www.yukonangelproductions.com
Profile:
Click here!
|
|
Most Recent From This Writer
Inspired Still - Designs by LaVellaK
Design Challenged? No worries! Among many design services I offer, I'll gladly design hats, t-shirts and more for you or your organized Special Event. Email me at justask@worthfinding.com for details!
Photgraphy & Design by LaVella Kraft
|
Select Article or Story
|