God speaks to us through creation.
He speaks to us through his Word.
God speaks to us through quiet hearts.
When I was little, I was baffled—BAFFLED—by Jesus’ desire to pray. “Why would Jesus want to pray? Prayer was about getting stuff. He was God,” I reasoned. “He didn’t need anything.”
Jesus needed nothing.
Jesus desired the presence of his Father.
Do you think he was homesick?
Maybe.
Am I ever homesick? Do I ever long for the presence of my Father?
Over the years, prayer for me has moved (and is moving) from getting things to getting God.
Part of that journey includes dialogue—embracing a relational attitude to prayer. It’s about learning to listen to God, not only in his Word (which is primary), but how to listen to God in stillness.
For me, listening to God in prayer is attending to his presence. It is being still. It is knowing he is present. It is entering into a stillness that is quiet enough to hear his heartbeat and his song. It is where I feel most deeply loved.
Zephaniah 3:17* rises up to spotlight this truth:
“The Lord your God is with you; he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”
Stillness reminds me I occupy a treasured place in the heart of God.
This promise is found in Psalm 46:10a.
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
I can not see God.
I can not hear God.
I can not feel God.
But I can know God.
And in knowing God, he assures me of my identity, directs my footsteps, and shapes my heart’s desires.
* For the warriors among us, visit this verse in the Holman Christian Standard Bible – Zephaniah 3:17.
Note: This post is part of our original series on rest. We are re-posting some of our favorite articles because we believe they are just as important today as ever. We hope to encourage and inspire you and those you love and lead to REST WELL through this time of COVID-19 crisis, comeback, and recovery. Onward!
- Would you like to read the post that preceded this one? Click here.
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