November 29
DebDay 260: When the Time Comes
Ever have those moments when you can think of millions of things to pray for. And yet the clarity of thought nor the words are there?
Me too. I can think of much to pray for. Many needs and many needy people in my life. Oddly enough, the ones who need the most prayer are the least aware of their need. That may also be true of me.
Praying through Scripture has been helpful for me, and others in our church. Really helpful. Allowing the Word of God to give us words to God just seems to make so much sense. For surely His words are better than our words.
And yet, there are times, like this morning when I am content, even drawn to simply be silent. Early Sunday mornings are like that for me. It seems to be the one time each week when I feel very needy, and yet very content, all at the same time.
I wonder, for all the finely articulated prayers of David recorded for us in Psalms, how much more time did David reserve for quiet contemplation before His God? Like very good friends, they could be in each other's presence without the need to fill all of the air space.
I am finding that the quieter I am, the more my felt priorities change. Things that seemed so important previously are suddenly relegated to lesser status, and some perhaps unexpected things come to the front. Glory to God in the highest always seems to win out.
And when I am quiet, it gives me the capacity to actually listen. The Spirit has been given to the saints of God, to guide and direct, to convict and comfort, to instruct and equip. The Spirit of God never disagrees with the Word of God. The Word is the content. The Spirit the delivery.
Mine is not naturally a quiet inner life. I am rarely at soul's rest. Yet, the Lord in His mercy gives me early Sunday mornings. He knows I need a quiet respite. He knows I need to listen instead of talk.
I will do plenty of talking before even this morning is over. It's my job. The church pays me to talk (or so I think.) Funny how the Spirit prepares me to talk by getting me to be quiet and listen beforehand.
So maybe I'll have something of eternal value to say when the time comes.
-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church Juneau
