Be Still Before the Lord

I was listening to "Word of God Speak" on my drive home last night. I love this song! I've listened to it a hundred times over the past several years.  When God is speaking to me and my heart is open to hearing Him, even the lyrics in a song I've heard many times will stand out.  In the chorus, this line made my heart's ears prick and heard them for the first time!

To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness

Then the 2nd verse ...

All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice

Yesterday, I finished reading Week 3 Day 4 "A Balanced Life".  Through out the whole lesson, Southerland is using the story of Mary and Martha.  Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus.   Mary listening to Jesus speak.  It never has dawned on me until this lesson Mary wasn't talking!  Mary wasn't "praying" a list of request. She was simply sitting and listening!

Southerland writes "Every minute of every day is either wasted or invested ... the Bible contains over 400 verses about time, we can safely assume that time management is important to God ... One of the most valuable investments we can make is to spend time in solitude."  Prayer is communication.  It's a conversation,  When in a conversation, in order to hear the other person we have to shut our mouths and give that person time to talk. Right?  Same with God!  We need to shut off the TV, shut off the computer, shut off the iPhone, shut off the radio, shut off ALL noise. We need to shut our mouths too ... AND LISTEN! Sit at the feet of Jesus and listen!

Southerland encourages the memorizing of Psalm 37: "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him."  And then ask these questions which I'll answer for me:

• Why am I afraid of silence?  For me, I'm not afraid of silence!  I actually enjoy silence.  I long for it!
• What is the greatest obstacle to solitude in my life?  Now, this one is easy! Since I enjoy solitude, for more me its more about getting the chance to have it.  One of the biggest obstacles is scrutiny by my mother.  Mom is a "Martha" 100x's over!  I can be out on the back porch, Mom will come out.  There's always "work" to do.  A lot of the "work to do" is created work.  There's always "something" that needs to be done .  She does enjoy watching TV in the evenings, but at this time of year (Autumn) by the time she does that the light is gone from the porch.  I'd love if we had a "comfy" chair in our room so I could go in there and sit.  There's not enough room.  Pretty much, the greatest obstacle is  ... I don't have my own personal space at home.
• What steps do I have to take in order to remove these obstacles? Short of going in debt and building my own bedroom ... There really isn't anything about the personal space issue.  Now, there is the possibility of not coming home from work, going somewhere quiet first! However, have you ever been to Starbuck's? of Any Coffee House? Those places are ALL noise! Kill the music please ... There is the library! The one close to home is almost finished being remodeled and  it's going to be bigger! Libraries are quiet ...
• What do I hope to gain from time spent in solitude? To hear Jesus' speaking to me!  To know Him more and more.  I want hear what He has to say.  Yes, I still want to talk to Him about the joys and woes of life but I want to hear what He has to say on those same things!

I so desire to "be still before the Lord".  You know, I think when we hear the word "meditate" we start thinking in a negative sense.  But really, meditate is sitting, thinking about scripture, and being open hearted and open minded to what God is saying through scripture ... to stop talking long enough to hear what He has to say!

Oh, one more thing .... I spend a lot of time doing things with the kids and the church.  I think God is making me aware that I need to be careful.  Be careful that I don't become so wrapped up that I forget to spend time with Him!  I must know His Voice well enough to be catching these messages from Him.  When we live wrapped up in His Presence, we live in constant communication with Him.  Every where we go, we can see how God is revealing Himself to us.  I think "Lord of my Choices" and "Lord of my Time" is this ... Choices over food, He ain't Lord of and wants to be BUT He can see what I can't about Time.  If I'm not careful, I can fall into a "busy for Jesus" trap!  He's pointing it out to me to be watchful!