Study from God’s Word… 1st Kings 5: 1 – 9 [2nd Chron. 2: 1, 3-16]; 1st Kings 5: 10-12; 1st Kings 5: 13-18 [2nd Chron. 2: 2, 17, 18]; 1st Kings 6: 1 [2nd Chron. 3: 1,2]; 1st Kings 6: 11-13; 1st Kings 6: 2 [2nd Chron. 3: 3]; 1st Kings 6: 9b, 18 [2nd Chron. 3: 5-7; 1st Kings 6: 7, 1st Kings 6: 3 [2nd Chron. 3: 4]; 1st Kings 6: 4; 1st Kings 6: 5, 6, 8, 10 [2nd Chron. 3: 9]; 1st Kings 6: 16, 17, 18, 19-22 [2nd Chron. 2: 3: 8, 9a]; 1st Kings 6: 23-28 [2nd Chron. 3: 10-13]; 2nd Chron. 3: 14; 1st Kings 6: 15, 29, 30 [2nd Chron. 6: 37, 38]; 1st Kings 7: 13, 14; 1st Kings 7: 15-22 [2nd Chron. 3: 15-17]; 2nd Chron. 4: 1; 1st Kings 7: 23-26 [2nd Chron. 4: 2-5, 10, 6c]; 1st Kings 7: 27-37; 1st Kings 7: 38, 39 [2nd Chron. 4: 6]; 1st Kings 7: 4—47 [2nd Chron. 4: 11-18]; 1st Kings 7: 48-50 [2nd Chron. 4: 7,8, 19-22]; 1st Kings 7: 51 [2nd Chron. 5: 1]; 1st Kings 9: 25 [2nd Chron. 8: 12-16] … Passage for Reflection: 1st Kings 6: 7 … NIV 7 In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.
My Journal for Today: After reading through, the selected readings in 1st Kings and 2nd Chronicles, prepared in The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, the elaborate description of Solomon’s supervision of the building of the magnificent temple designed by his father, David, Dr. Smith is right that the highlight passage does stand out with its curious message, which happens to resonate deeply today. Do you see the historical fact that much of the ancient Hebrew Temple in Jerusalem was built without noisy tools? And how eerie it must’ve been to see this magnificent structure rising in its elaborate glory … in silence? How they would’ve done that is beyond me; but let’s face it God is often way beyond us (see Isaiah 55: 8-9).
But that silence was undertaken to honor God and let the world see that we need to silently, but diligently, working in the world to honor God with what we build out of our lives. And how difficult is that in these noisy days where we’re bombarded by the world’s noisiness. Satan has invented many ploys to stand in the way of our abiding and deepening relationship with God; and one of his battle strategies is the noise of this world, both audible and informational. We’re so encumbered by the “noises” of the world that it is hard to strategically get alone and honor God with our silence. That is why the joint faith disciplines of solitude and silence become so important for the Christian today, trying to honor God by building the walls of his/her personal temple these days.
What about it, my friend? Do you have time and a place – EVERY DAY – where you go to be alone with God, … a place where the noises and interruptions of the world don’t get in the way of quietly praying and reading and meditating on God’s word? Do you have a place – preferably to start each day – where you can go to be with God, away from the world and other people, … away from any phones, TVs, Ipods, I-phones, or other devices which are the world’s tools to keep you from being alone with your God? Dr. Smith asks a telling question of me (and his readers) today, positing, Can I bear to have silence in my life, or am I afraid that God just might speak to me in the stillness?
You’re going to have to answer that one for yourself; but I covet the time – EACH DAY and EACH MORNING – which I have here in my personal “closet,” which is my place to be still and listen for God to “speak” to my mind/heart, … my place where I can quietly, without noisy interruption mediate on God’s truth from His word, … and my place where I can go to the high ground of prayer, preparing for what I know is going to be a battle with the world, in its noisiness, with Satan doing all he can to get in the way of my communion and relationship with my God.
I will pray for us …
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to maintain this time/place each morning, which I covet so personally to be with You; and help any dear ones who are reading here to develop such a place/time to be with You, as we honor You with our quietude. Amen
Showing posts with label quiet times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quiet times. Show all posts
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Friday, May 15, 2009
2009 – Day 134.May 15 – The Interludes of Life
2009 – Day 134.May 15 – The Interludes of Life
Passage of the Day: 2nd Samuel 7: 1 – 3 … 1 Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.”3 Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”
My Journal for Today: This is a short segment from the life of David; but, as Swindoll points out, it illustrates an important point about how we prioritize moments of our life that can allow us to sense God’s will or direction. Swindoll calls a moment like the one illustrated by today’s passages as an “interlude” in life. And he contends that we need many moments like this in our life to slow down and sense the direction God has for us.
It was in such an “interlude” from which David got a leaning that he was uncomfortable about living in a house when God was residing in a tent. Have you ever had times when you were quiet enough to avoid the tyrannies and the urgencies of life or the deluge of information in this world to sense God’s leading? Perhaps such moments occurred when you were alone studying for an exam as a student and you were praying for enlightenment. Or maybe you went off to a retreat and God’s Spirit enlightened you as to a new direction for your life. Or maybe you just woke up, as it often happens to me early in my quiet times with God, and you got one of those “aha” or “eureka” moments from God.
Right now two scripture passages have bubbled up in my mind, sitting here meditating on this premise. One is my wife’s favorite, Proverbs 3: 5 – 6, which you probably know by heart (or I hope you do). It says, “…in all your ways acknowledge [God], and He will direct your paths.” Well, think about that. If you’re so wrapped up in the demands of the world or not taking the time to seek God’s wisdom (see also James 1: 5 – 6, you will be subject to the leaning or leading of the world or your own deceitful heart (see Jer. 17: 9); and how dangerous the latter can be! No, the point here is that we have to CHOOSE to slow down and we have to humbly CREATE the interludes in life which allow us to seek and sense the mind of God.
The second verse which comes to me here in this morning’s meditate is Ephesians 5: 15 – 16. This passage says, See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. And God seems to be saying to me here, “Bill, you will not be able to walk circumspectly or wisely, following My lead, if you don’t slow down enough to let Me guide your paths in life.” And this supports Swindoll’s contention in today’s devotional, illustrated by David slowing down enough and living in that cedar home, that he needed to make a move to honor God. And so do we!
Are you CHOOSING to slow down and create listening interludes which allow you to hear God? Perhaps you do it by going off on a retreat periodically to seek God’s leading. Perhaps you take off a half-day of prayer periodically to just go out in nature somewhere on a lovely warm day to listen to God and pray and meditate on His word. But more importantly than these periodic events, which are very healthy interludes for your spiritual well being, I’m asking if you have an EVERDAY INTERLUDE with God, where you intentionally and intently go to a quiet place, … and in solitude, you take time – God’s time – to be with our Lord and to sense His will or direction for your life?
Dear one, this is a discipline I began and developed a little over 20 years ago; and using the disciplines of solitude and meditation daily changed my life. And from times like this one, where I’m here, CHOOSING to take the time to get into God’s word, to pray for His mind and direction, and to journal my thoughts, I reap the benefits of joy and peace; and quite often I get those “eureka” direction-finding thoughts which lead me in toward God. And you might ask, “Bill, how do you know these are moments of insight are from God?” And to that very good question, I would answer that I’m confident because [#1] these interludes lead me in a direction which is consistent with God’s word; and [#2] they draw me closer to God. And since I know that Satan (or even my own selfish nature) would never lead me in a direction which was totally consistent with God’s word, I’m safe to know that God is leading me. And most certainly I know that Satan would never lead me deeper into my relationship with God. So, when, from these day interludes with God, He gives me His light of insight, I know I can respond as David did to the Prophet Samuel, who came to David with God’s leading and said, [verse 3 today], “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”
I do pray that you selectively create listening interludes in your life to be with God; and then, I hope you do listen for God’s direction. Because if and when you do, He will lead you.
My Prayer for Today: Thank You, Lord, for leading me from these quiet times we have together. Amen
Passage of the Day: 2nd Samuel 7: 1 – 3 … 1 Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.”3 Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”
My Journal for Today: This is a short segment from the life of David; but, as Swindoll points out, it illustrates an important point about how we prioritize moments of our life that can allow us to sense God’s will or direction. Swindoll calls a moment like the one illustrated by today’s passages as an “interlude” in life. And he contends that we need many moments like this in our life to slow down and sense the direction God has for us.
It was in such an “interlude” from which David got a leaning that he was uncomfortable about living in a house when God was residing in a tent. Have you ever had times when you were quiet enough to avoid the tyrannies and the urgencies of life or the deluge of information in this world to sense God’s leading? Perhaps such moments occurred when you were alone studying for an exam as a student and you were praying for enlightenment. Or maybe you went off to a retreat and God’s Spirit enlightened you as to a new direction for your life. Or maybe you just woke up, as it often happens to me early in my quiet times with God, and you got one of those “aha” or “eureka” moments from God.
Right now two scripture passages have bubbled up in my mind, sitting here meditating on this premise. One is my wife’s favorite, Proverbs 3: 5 – 6, which you probably know by heart (or I hope you do). It says, “…in all your ways acknowledge [God], and He will direct your paths.” Well, think about that. If you’re so wrapped up in the demands of the world or not taking the time to seek God’s wisdom (see also James 1: 5 – 6, you will be subject to the leaning or leading of the world or your own deceitful heart (see Jer. 17: 9); and how dangerous the latter can be! No, the point here is that we have to CHOOSE to slow down and we have to humbly CREATE the interludes in life which allow us to seek and sense the mind of God.
The second verse which comes to me here in this morning’s meditate is Ephesians 5: 15 – 16. This passage says, See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. And God seems to be saying to me here, “Bill, you will not be able to walk circumspectly or wisely, following My lead, if you don’t slow down enough to let Me guide your paths in life.” And this supports Swindoll’s contention in today’s devotional, illustrated by David slowing down enough and living in that cedar home, that he needed to make a move to honor God. And so do we!
Are you CHOOSING to slow down and create listening interludes which allow you to hear God? Perhaps you do it by going off on a retreat periodically to seek God’s leading. Perhaps you take off a half-day of prayer periodically to just go out in nature somewhere on a lovely warm day to listen to God and pray and meditate on His word. But more importantly than these periodic events, which are very healthy interludes for your spiritual well being, I’m asking if you have an EVERDAY INTERLUDE with God, where you intentionally and intently go to a quiet place, … and in solitude, you take time – God’s time – to be with our Lord and to sense His will or direction for your life?
Dear one, this is a discipline I began and developed a little over 20 years ago; and using the disciplines of solitude and meditation daily changed my life. And from times like this one, where I’m here, CHOOSING to take the time to get into God’s word, to pray for His mind and direction, and to journal my thoughts, I reap the benefits of joy and peace; and quite often I get those “eureka” direction-finding thoughts which lead me in toward God. And you might ask, “Bill, how do you know these are moments of insight are from God?” And to that very good question, I would answer that I’m confident because [#1] these interludes lead me in a direction which is consistent with God’s word; and [#2] they draw me closer to God. And since I know that Satan (or even my own selfish nature) would never lead me in a direction which was totally consistent with God’s word, I’m safe to know that God is leading me. And most certainly I know that Satan would never lead me deeper into my relationship with God. So, when, from these day interludes with God, He gives me His light of insight, I know I can respond as David did to the Prophet Samuel, who came to David with God’s leading and said, [verse 3 today], “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”
I do pray that you selectively create listening interludes in your life to be with God; and then, I hope you do listen for God’s direction. Because if and when you do, He will lead you.
My Prayer for Today: Thank You, Lord, for leading me from these quiet times we have together. Amen
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