Devotionals
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE As A Member OR Visitor
Message Writer
Hire Writer
Report Article
Rediscovering God
Through the Year with Thomas Merton - Daily Meditations from His Writings - this excerpt from March 26
"Now it is evening. The frogs still sing. After the showers of rain around dinner time the sky cleared. All afternoon I sat on the bed rediscovering the meaning of contemplation -- rediscovering God, rediscovering myself-and the office, and Scriptures and everything.
It has been one of the most wonderful days I have ever known in my life, and yet I am not attached to that part of it either. Any pleasure or contentment I may have got out of silence and solitude and freedom from all care does not matter.
But I know that is the way I ought to be living: with my mind and senses silent, contact with the world of business and war and community troubles severed -- not solicitous for anything high or low or far or near. Not pushing myself around with my own fancies or desires or projects - and not letting myself get hurried off my feet by the excessive current of natural activity that flows through the universe with full force."
In my own experience, I have discovered there are different types of solitude. The one kind is when we go away to be secluded from the scheduled tasks we engage with each day to a quiet place, somewhere we can unwind, relax and not be encountering our regular routines.
The other kind of solitude is one we can all obtain. It is centered in our bodies, souls and spirits. This is a state of being we enter when we have Christ as preeminent over any other thing, person, activity or task. This takes daily regular alone time with Jesus; early mornings, late evenings and perhaps a bit in the day time.
When we make intentional these encounters in Jesus alone, sitting, reflecting, worshipping, not asking for anything, but simply enjoying His presence, we receive the bounty of His heart being united in ours.
Personal, intimate, and ongoing relationship in Christ ushers us into this sacred dwelling place in our own souls where His presence abides, stills, quiets, and redirects our thoughts and passions. Solitude and presence ripples inside us, a place in Christ that centers us, bringing inner contentment, satisfaction and joy.
Solitude eases our minds from the obsessiveness we as humans are prone to. Solitude in Jesus quiets anxious moments in the assured confidence we know He as our Lord and good Shepherd fully providing for our every need - a respite for our soul.
Solitude in the disciplined life teaches us to let go of the material, the conflicts, the 'stuff' this world deems important as in Jesus we discover the vital key to living is pure obedience in having love as our theology.
Solitude teaches to nurture our relationship with Jesus as the most important person we can meet with, encounter and receive fullness.
God, people, community - there is no other place we derive meaning and purpose from that is of more value. When we prioritize God, He in us draws us to the place of absolute surrender in our consecrated devotion to a lifestyle of being His love.
This is where we die daily to what our flesh is inclined to do and we take up our cross bearing witness to the mercy and love of Christ in us. This is a lifestyle that gives glory to our Father in whom we are becoming - sons and daughters who are righteous, holy, divine sent ones - accomplishing the intentions and purposes of God in us and choosing what He desires of us - over any person, thing, vocation, activity or tasks.
We discover it is in Christ and in Him alone we find purpose, meaning and vibrancy in this life and all else flows outwardly from this intimate, consistent, steady, relationship in this union.
Then we join in the community of saints as God threads our souls in His union of love where He weaves His greatest gift, revealing, demonstrating and manifesting His luxurious and lavish love, drawing each one of us nearer to Him and to one another in being His love in the world.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE AS A MEMBER OR VISITOR
This article has been read 324 times < Previous | Next >
Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.