Inner Paths

 

Devotions for November 12, 2020

 

Prayer

Calm my mind into you, O God. Be with me in seeking stillness. Embrace me in silence. Let the noise of life fall away, so your music sings loudly in my heart. Wherever I am, I know you are there and listening. I lift before you my concerns and petitions for today… I am profoundly grateful for time in prayer with you. I thank you for your love and all that you are already doing for your children and all those in need. In Christ Jesus, I pray. Amen.

 

Psalm 90

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn us back to dust, and say, “Turn back, you mortals.”

For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night.

You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning;

in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.

For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed.

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

For all our days pass away under your wrath; our years come to an end like a sigh.

The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Who considers the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.

So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.

 

Reflection

“Everyone has skeletons in their closet.” God knows our secret sins. The “me” that we try to hide from others is not hidden from God. God knows the subtleties of hiddenness, and the blazing fire of revelations. Not only does time heal, it also reveals. God also designed hiddenness so that it is fully detectable by spiritual means. As spiritual beings, we are quite capable of sensing problems, evildoers and urgency to act for God’s reign. “Gut feelings” with those who practice openness and prayer with God are reliable and extremely helpful. I have said this simply and briefly, yet I also recognize that many have difficulty accepting this wisdom. Our spirituality is like a muscle, connected to our body and requires exercise and nurturing use. Worship and daily prayer help to sharpen our recognition of spiritual insights. Pay close attention to those things that you do physically that tune your spirit to listen. For me, doing dishes is one of those things. If I am working on a message or some aspect of discernment, I have found it helpful to take a break and do a round of dishes or chop wood. It is in these basic tasks that we stop pushing or pulling to “think, think, think!” and instead become relaxed to listen. This ancient wisdom “chop wood, carry water” is a deep well and a reliable path to spiritual strength and maturity.