“While something deep within hungers and thirsts for
the still moment and the resting lull.”
Psalm 143
“1 Hear my prayer, O LORD;
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
7 Answer me quickly, O LORD!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.
9 Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD!
I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!
11 For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life!
In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.”
Matthew 11:25-30
“25 At that time Jesus said, “I thank[a] you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.[b] 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Reflection:
Sometimes in the busyness of my life, I can hear the words, “be still”. I don’t always like it when this happens for I am a person who wants, sometimes needs to be busy and don’t like it when my plans are foiled by others and, to be honest, not even by the Holy Spirit. Even as I write this, I am wrestling with what to do next, what to complete. But I am reminded to be still.
The reference to stillness I am speaking of comes from, Psalm 46:10 and as translated by the NIV version of the Bible as it reads, He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The entirety of Psalm 46 references God's power, the ability to rely on His provision, His sovereignty over all things and rest in His ability to take care of things as He sees fit for it to be. As we are among uncertain times it may appear that God is not paying attention, but this is when He is most aware of our needs. It may be challenging right now at this time for us to rest in His presence as it is the safest place to be.
I am reminded of this when I recall how I made it through some of my most trying times, including being stationed in Iraq during OIF III. Then and now, I keep in mind that I am to be kind to others, as they are struggling as I may be. I have to utilize healthy coping skills- a bath, a walk, singing to myself to help keep myself intake but most importantly I remember to keep myself before God and be still. For it is in being still, I find my true rest.
- Reflection by Jeffery D. Whitfield
Jef Whitfield, 41, is a Substance Abuse Counselor. His faith is his everything and he learned this, in part, due to having grown up in the Baptist Church in the Chicagoland area. Currently he lives in Eau Claire, Wisconsin with his wife and child. His interests are genealogy, learning about different cultures/regions of the world and how we can learn from one another. A fun fact about him is that he does not like chocolate and mint together. Yuck.
The Way of Beauty:
There is such beauty in culinary arts, especially baking. If you have a kitchen available, please find a simple baking recipe that brings joy to your heart. If you do not have access, consider choosing a baked good on your next shopping or food order. Before baking or consuming, think on any deep hungers you have in life. Dwell on that spiritual yearning and allow God to “cook” or develop them in ways we couldn’t do on their own. Consume the delicious creation that you have made or resourced, find delight in it, be still and know God. Take a nap.
The Contemplative Mystical Way:
Light the candle, and sit in your sacred spot you have prepared on Day 1. Notice if anything about it draws your attention. Does something call to be changed? Is it too busy? Do you long for more color? Has it changed at all with the passage of time, and life going on around it during this week? Reflect on the living nature of sacred spaces, and reflect on the hungers and longings in your own story. How was God with you in your times of hunger and longing? How has it changed? Write about it, as a love letter, with anguish, with joy, with lamentation and celebration of your hunger and thirst. What is God whispering?
The Way of Practical Action:
“Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Notice today where it is in your body that you are carrying your tensions and burdens. In a relaxed seat or with your back flat on the floor, try a full body scan. Begin with your toes: feel the tension you carry, tighten your toes to exaggerate the tension, and then release that tension on an exhale. Work slowly up your body, paying special attention to places that are tight or tender. Feel your hunger for stillness; give way to the support that the earth offers you. Come unto the Source of stillness.
Check on your plant, see that the soil is moist, but not soaked. Only add a little bit of water every few days so the seeds don’t become waterlogged.
Prayer:
Dear beautiful Source of all Light, thank you for the fragility and earthiness of our hungry and thirsty selves. As you draw our attention to our very Human-ness, we draw closer to Your Divinity, with awe and wonder at how You have created our fragile and tenacious and interconnected selves, reaching out for Living Water. Help us to breathe out compassion for our tender selves, and all the hungry and thirsty souls with whom we share this planet. Amen.
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