Saturday, October 31, 2009

Silent fellowship of love

From Streams in the Desert, October 31:

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Romans 8:26-27

It is not necessary to be continually speaking to God, or always hearing from God, in order to have communion or fellowship with Him for there is an unspeakable fellowship that is sweeter than words. A little child can sit all day long beside his mother, totally engrossed in his playing, while his mother is consumed by her work, and although both are busy and few words are spoken by either, they are in perfect fellowship. The child knows his mother is there, and she knows that he is all right.

In the same way, a believer and his(her) Savior can continue many hours in the silent fellowship of love. And although the believer may be busy with the ordinary things of life, he(she) can be mindful that every detail of his(her) life is touched by the character of God's presence, and can have the awareness of His approval and blessing.

Then when troubled with burdens and difficulties too complicated to put into words and too puzzling to express or fully understand, how sweet it is to fall into the embrace of His blessed arms and to simply sob out the sorrow that we cannot speak! selected

Run with patience

From my Friday Streams in the Desert devotional:

"Let us run with patience." Hebrews 12:1 KJV
Running "with patience" is a very difficult thing to do. The word "running" itself suggests the absence of patience, or an eagerness to reach a goal. Yet we often associate patience with lying down or standing still. We think of it as an angel who guards the bed of the disabled. Yet I do not believe that the kind of patience a disabled person may have is the hardest to achieve.

There is another kind of patience that I believe is harder to obtain--the patience that runs. Lying down during a time of grief, or being quiet after a financial setback, certainly implies great strength--the power to continue working after a setback, the power to still run with a heavy heart, and the power to perform your daily tasks with deep sorrow in your spirit. This is a Christlike thing!

Many of us could tearlessly deal with grief if only we were allowed to do so in private. Yet what is so difficult is that most of us are called to exercise our patience not in bed but in sorrows, not in restful activity but in active service--in our workplace, while shopping, and during social events--contributing to other people's joy. No other way of burying our sorrow is as difficult as this, for it is truly what is meant by running "with patience."  George Matheson