31 Days: Alone with God

Without solitude it is virtually impossible
to live a spiritual life.

… We do not take the spiritual life seriously if we do not set aside some time to be with God
and listen to him.

~Henri Nouwen

This is Day 7 of the series 31 Days to Listen.

Finding early morning soul space

I sit on the bench. In the quiet I watch the sun rise and listen to the birds singing and calling to one another. There are few people around at that hour, but the wetlands are prolific with all kinds of bird life.

What a glorious morning, and I have nowhere else to be, no need to rush. I want to sit and soak it all in, to breathe and be present in this moment.

But there is also a little voice urging me to get up, get moving, and do something more productive.

I’m restless.

It’s not easy to stop, to be still, to be present, to listen.

I know this is an invitation to be with the Lord, to sit with him, watch with him. Not worrying about a prayer list, not worrying about whether he will speak to me. But just to be. To open my eyes, my ears and my heart to the beauty around me, allow it to inspire wonder and worship.

But it’s still a struggle to stay on that bench, not to get up and walk away.

A week later and I am back at the wetlands, sitting on the same bench. Another early morning. The fairy wrens are playing chasy, looping in circles, skimming low over the ground, alighting on reed stems before hopping from one to the next. Light glitters on the rippling water. The sun is a glowing orb rising from behind the hill.

Glorious.

And this time – this time is different. This time I’m not restless. This time, my soul is still, and I am grateful for the beauty of this morning, for this gift of whitespace, this gift of companionship, for this moment of intimacy.

In this moment I am content, grateful for this life.

I have stilled and quieted my soul. And I breathe life again.

But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. ~ Psalm 131:2

How to find rest in an unlikely place

Over the weekend I sat in my favourite bakery, with a hot chocolate, a warm cherry danish and my journal. I breathed, I wrote and I listened. I took a scenic drive through hills, my soul taking a fresh breath as I took in the green folds, the rocky outcrops, gum trees, cattle and sheep, all bathed in the gentle winter sunshine.

It felt good, refreshing.

But now it’s another working week and the cares of daily life, the routines and commitments, are all crowding in, clamouring for attention.

How do I find spiritual whitespace now?

Another day, another wait at the bus stop. It’s cold, and everyone is standing silently, some tapping away on their smart phones, others with wired up and listening to their favourite music.

Across the road I see a tall tree, almost bare, lit by early sunlight. The last red leaves of autumn cling stubbornly to its naked branches.

There’s movement, and soon I spot one, then two or three more birds, their chests a pinky red.

They bob and flit around the tree, before disappearing in a flurry of wings and chirping. They remind me of children just let out of school.

And just as I think there’s nothing else to see, I notice more birds hopping around on the ground below. And sparrows skim the air low and then rise above the rooflines. I wonder how I thought it was silent as I begin to hear all the different birdsongs. In the distance, a rooster crows Good Morning.

And suddenly it seems almost magestic, this moment for my soul to breathe.

This gift of spiritual whitespace.

This gift of rest.

Everything we need

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvellous glory and excellence.

2 Peter 1:2-3

Image sourced here.

When listening is the way to His heart

The God-whisper:

Learn how to listen.
Make time to listen.
Be intentional about listening.
Give honour and respect, don’t bring your own agenda.
This is not just about getting instructions for the next thing to do.
This is about relationship, knowing, intimacy.
This is about heart-sharing.
This is about transformation.

That was over two years ago. I was asking the Lord how to foster a more intimate relationship with him. Slowly, I’ve been learning; inclining my ear towards him.

And still He whispers, “Listen.”

The truth is that while there have been wonderful moments of listening and receiving, I’ve also been dodging and weaving, ducking and diving.

I want to share my heart with you, but you need to listen.

The truth is that I haven’t trusted his heart for me. I’ve too often tightened my grip on my own agenda. And I’ve been afraid of what I might hear.

The truth is that his love is unfailing.
His faithfulness is unwavering.
His grace and mercy are unmatched.
His gentleness is unsurpassed.

And I am his beloved.

“Listen.”

An intimate relationship is only possible if I will listen. This is the path set before me. The invitation.

As we enter into a new year, this is the path I choose. To listen to his word, his voice, his heart, his creation.

I want to find out what happens when my first priority is to listen.

What is God whispering to you?

Image sourced here.