Within the great panorama of the Bible, certain individuals stand out becasue of their exceptional influence and effectiveness. We are so taken with their public lives that we often overlook the depth of their private commitments. The longer I live, the more convinced I become that the greatest work of God takes place in the private arena--the quiet place, the quiet time. There God waits for us in order to have sweet communion, resolve anguishing conflict, and bring about a remarkable conformity to His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.I tend to be more like a Daniel, taking time throughout the day several times a day and praying at short intervals. Then at certain times during the week as I have time, I will retreat for time alone. I don't like the regimented, legalistic, check-off list style of the "quiet time" but prefer to be more casual and sometimes spontaneous--that works for me.
The brilliant light of a Roman candle streaks across the sky, evoking the pleasured exclamations of its audience. But it is quickly gone and forgotten, with no enduring impact. Will we settle for the applause of one great moment of public acclaim? Or will we seek the enduring influence that only comes when one is willing to develop the discipline of a quiet time and a quiet place--to regularly and consistently take time to sit at our Savior's feet to learn from Him?
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Seeking that Communion Again
One of my favorite books is A Passion for Prayer by Tom Elliff. At one point the book had great influence upon me and I am yearning to regain the intimacy that I once experienced with my Savior. This is one of my favorite passages from Tom's hand (p. 39-40):
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5 comments:
Tony,
I pray for you as you pray and serve God. You minister to many more people than you even realize.
May God bless you.
Anonymous,
Thank you so much for that word of encouragement and the offer of prayer. I know it is sincere. That means a great deal to me during this low point. May God bless you in return. Thank you again.
Between this post, Bernard's poll on his blog, Daryl's message yesterday, and something a singer at church said last night, I think God may be saying something to me about my communion with Him, or the lack thereof.
Karma,
Yeah--I hate when all sources of Christian revelation in our lives converge at one point. Praying for you.
Yea, it makes things seem so "deliberate," and makes me realize that maybe, just maybe I need to take some corrective action. :)
thanks for the prayers
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