The hum of fluorescent lights ...

“Solitude molds self-righteous people into gentle, caring, forgiving persons who are so deeply convinced of their own great sinfulness and so fully aware of God’s even greater mercy that their life itself becomes a ministry.” - Henri Nouwen

Waking up every morning and spending time in the Word, time in silence just staring at the steam coming up from my coffee cup, listening to nothing but the refrigerator motor and the hum of the fluorescent lights overhead has been a blessing. You are in that place where you really can feel God there with you. You can feel his presence, and almost hear his voice as you read his Word. You can feel yourself being molded and sharpened for another day.

Then you hear one of the kids wake up. You realize that it is time to go and get the boys up for school. There is a lot to be done before we walk out that door. You just don’t want to get up. You have had such a wonderful time of devotion with your God. You feel like you are changed and are growing, but you have life to live. You know that you are going to face boys who don’t want to wake up, possible fights because of crankiness, chores to make sure get done, animals to feed, noise, busyness, noise, lists, meetings, and more noise. What do you think God is preparing you for?!

“I am the vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:1-5

We have discussed silence, solitude, and meditation. These three will be a part of almost all of the disciplines we look at in the future. You have to be able to sit with God, before you can do the others. You have to be able to put your time with him as the highest priority before you can practice service, study, fasting, and so many others. Remain in Christ and he will remain in you. He longs to pour out of your life. He longs to overflow from your cup and touch every person and situation that you go through in a day.

Yes it’s hard to sit and be still long enough. Yes it is then hard to go out and be in the noise of life, but we are called to take our lives and use them for the glory of our Father. Are we bearing fruit yet? How are people seeing our lives? How is God seeing our lives? Is he getting more and more proud or longing for you to come and be with him? Only you and He know the answer to these questions. Hopefully we are on the right track. Remember, we are together on this journey. Together we overflow into the lives of those around us.

God’s blessings today.

Jason