A Lonely Place – Day 3

•December 3, 2012 • 5 Comments

Life, if we let it, can be full of noise.

We have 24 hour tv and radio, the internet is always on and waiting for us to join it if we choose to, shops open longer hours and every day.

What can be harder to find is stillness and peace…

time to think, time to reflect, time to just be, time to re-centre ourselves, time to be still;

time to stop the bustling, the sorting, the talking.

https://i0.wp.com/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Brooklyn_Museum_-_Jesus_Goes_Up_Alone_onto_a_Mountain_to_Pray_%28J%C3%A9sus_monte_seul_sur_une_montagne_pour_prier%29_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg/339px-Brooklyn_Museum_-_Jesus_Goes_Up_Alone_onto_a_Mountain_to_Pray_%28J%C3%A9sus_monte_seul_sur_une_montagne_pour_prier%29_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg

Jesus Goes Up Alone onto a Mountain to Pray
James Tissot

Part of Advent is taking time to prepare ourselves.  To be ready, not for Christmas, but for the coming of Christ, as a new-born child AND when he returns in glory.

To fully prepare ourselves we may need to go to the lonely place, the quiet place, the God place – to the place there is no agenda, just waiting with him.

Today, the challenge is to find some space. Just you and God.

Lord,

I want to be ready,

ready to meet you

and ready to meet the tasks you call me to.

So,

in stillness,

in quiet,

in waiting,

I come to you

– no agenda –

just me and you

spending time together

This year for Advent, some friends and I are using Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen.   You’re welcome to join us on this journey.  Feel free to comment here, or on Twitter using #adventbookclub

Posted in Advent, Advent Book Club, God, Religion
Tags: , , ,

Waiting – Day 2

•December 2, 2012 • 7 Comments

Waiting…

… for something to happen

…for someone to turn up

…for things to change

…for the thing that I want

…for action

…for something…

…anything?

As a society we have got very bad at waiting.  We live in a culture of instant.  We have lost the art of waiting patiently.

In waiting we see what happens.  We haven’t decided what is best.  We don’t try to force a hand.

We trust.

We believe in a God of time and place.

A God who knows what he is doing.

And so, we wait with him

Lord,

you know my impatience,

my need to try to sort things now.

Help me to wait

with you

and for you;

as I allow you to do your will.

This year for Advent, some friends and I are using Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen.   You’re welcome to join us on this journey.  Feel free to comment here, or on Twitter using #adventbookclub

Posted in Advent, Advent Book Club, God, Religion, theology
Tags: , , ,

God of the Small Things – Day One

•December 1, 2012 • 5 Comments

Are we waiting and looking for God to do the “Big Thing”?

Do we miss him in the small things?

Lets not get so distracted looking for what we’re expecting, that we miss what God is doing…

Let’s not confuse hype with God’s real presence.

Today, I will look for the small things.

From the dead stump a new shoot will grow

Lord,

may I not get so busy

looking for what I’m expecting,

searching for what I want to see,

looking over my shoulder instead of ahead,

missing what is past rather than seeing what is to come,

that I miss you.

God in small things,

God in all things.

 

  • What small sign have you seen today that God is present in your life?

 

This year for Advent, some friends and I are using Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen.   You’re welcome to join us on this journey.  Feel free to comment here, or on Twitter using #adventbookclub

Posted in Advent, Advent Book Club, bible, God, Religion, theology
Tags: , ,

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »