No matter how many times I have read this book, this chapter speaks profoundly to my walk with Christ, no matter where I am at. It does not matter if I Christ feels a million miles away or if I know He is right next to me, this chapter is the reminder of my movement towards Christ in our relationship. This chapter also brings me back to the question asked during the trainee float, where Jesus asks me, "Steph - how close will you all me to come to you?" Specifically, on page 24 where Foster says,
" That is why meditation is so threatening to us. It boldly calls us to enter into the living presence of God for ourselves. It tells us that God is speaking in the continuous present and wants to address us...All who acknowledge Jesus CHrist as Lord are the universal priesthood of God and as such can enter the Holy of Holies and converse with the living God."
God wants to address us, He wants that time with us, I love that reminder of this chapter, that in my meditation, I am able to not only meet with the living God but he is wanting to address me! That there is nothing I need to do but come to him, and no one he is expecting me to be but me, what freedom that is for me.
It becomes very easy to get into the routine of life and to get going on a busy day and miss out on this intimate time with Christ and to miss out hearing from the living God, I love on page 26 (which I swear Foster must have watched me and wrote this!)
" We must come to see, therefore, how central our whole day is in preparing us for the specific times of meditation. If we are constantly being swept off our feet with frantic activity, we will be unable to be attentive at the moment of inward silence"
The great reminder for the that my time in meditation is only as good as my listening in that time. As I spend time with the living God I also need to be listening to the living God.
Steph, I hear you on that one!
ReplyDeleteThat is why meditation is so threatening to us. It boldly calls us to enter into the living presence of God for ourselves.
Isn't is funny how we get so "tasky" about interacting with God when we want to shy away from intimacy? If I set out to tackle my Bible like any other text to be analyzed, I can escape from ever having to encounter YHWH Himself. But meditation doesn't let me "do" anything except to sit quietly with my Father.