It strikes me this morning that this idea of engaging in extended times of solitude and quiet is critical given the times we are living in. Now more than ever this world needs men and women who are preparing themselves to be attentive, listening , and seeking God with all they have got. I know in my own life these times of extended quiet have been the foundation that has kept me steady and even strong in the storms that have come my way over the last few years.
But these times of quiet… of space, as we call it in Harbor Ministry, have also been the catalyst for the steps of faith we have taken over the last few years. In those times of space, a quiet strength, a needed stability, and a sense of direction have come. For me, and I think for many who have entered the leadership journeys of RHYTHMinTWENTY and Rogue, these extended times of space have been a difference-making practice.
Over the last few years Moses has become one of my favorite men to study. His life, his leadership, and his relationship with God have been an inspiration for me. One of the things that has really stood out is the many extended times he had to wait and ready himself to hear from God. Perhaps that first crazy encounter in the desert wilderness is the most striking. After years in the desert, Moses comes across this burning bush… and God is speaking. What strikes me about this story in Exodus 3, is not only that God is speaking to him… but Moses’s attentiveness and readiness to hear. In fact, it says that when God saw Moses turn to him, He spoke. Incredible! It seems to me that his times of extended quiet played a role in preparing Moses for that moment. Why did it take so long for God to speak to him? He had been out there a long time. Given what was going on at that time in history and the mission that awaited him, I do struggle with that question. But one thing seems clear; his extended times of solitude, of quiet, of space, prepared Moses for that moment and helped lay the groundwork for a mission that would change history.
So I am re- committing to some extended times of space in my schedule in the months ahead. Why?
- The speed and pace of life demands it.
- There is just too much noise in the day-to-day, and for me to hear anything, I have to find ways to quiet the noise.
- The practice of space will help me be attentive, and ready.
- I hope it will give me needed steadiness and strength for the days ahead.
I do believe the world now more than ever in our lifetimes, needs men and women committed to this practice and discipline of space. I am ready to again enter the quiet…
