Come Into Silence

God is the One who can tell us the reason for our existence, our place in the scheme of things, our real identity.

Opening Prayer:

Dear Jesus, Who am I really? What do you see in me that you would move heaven and earth to capture my heart? My life feels like a collection of other people?s expectations and disappointments. I do not even know anymore who I truly am. Reveal to me my true identity, my true place in Your story. Give me grace to hear your voice; shut out all other voices, and let me hear from you alone. I ask this in your name. Amen. (The Sacred Romance Workbook by John Eldredge)

Psalm for the Week: Psalm 62

My Soul Waits for God Alone
To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun.
A Psalm of David.

• 1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
• 3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood.
• They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah
• 5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,for my hope is from him.6 He only is my rock and my salvation,my fortress; I shall not be shaken.7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
• 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him;God is a refuge for us. Selah
• 9 Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion;in the balances they go up;they are together lighter than a breath.
• 10 Put no trust in extortion;set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
• 11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
• 12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.

Reading for Reflection:

He is the one who can tell us the reason for our existence, our place in the scheme of things, our real identity. It is an identity we can?t discover for ourselves, that others can?t discover in us?the mystery of who we really are. How we have chased around the world for answers to that riddle, looked in the eyes of others for some hint, some clue, hunted in the multiple worlds of pleasure and experience and self-fulfillment for some glimpse, some revelation, some wisdom, some authority to tell us our right name and our true destination.

But there was, and is, only One who can tell us this: the Lord himself. And he wants to tell us, he has made us to know our reason for being and to be led by it. But it is a secret he will entrust to us only when we ask, and then in his own way and his own time.

He will whisper it to us not in the mad rush and fever of our striving and our fierce determination to become someone, but rather when we are content to rest in him, to put ourselves into his keeping, into his hands.

Most delightfully of all, it is a secret he will tell us slowly and sweetly, when we are willing to spend time with him: time with him who is beyond all time. (Clinging by Emilie Griffin)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

Song for the Week: Arise (by Ryan Long)

Beloved can you hear me
I call across eternity
I am your God
Are you listening?
Arise my Love and Come with me
Arise my Love and Come with me
Your heart is sore. Your feet are weary.
Your hope is gone. Your head is hung.
Leave behind the nothing
That you’ve become.
Arise my love and come with me.
Arise my love and come with me.
Arise and come and become what you believe.
Lay down your burdens my love and come with me.
Arise my love and come with me.
Arise my Love and Come with me

Closing Prayer:

O God, our Heavenly Father, who created us beautifully and wonderfully, may we always look to You for our value and worth, remembering that we are a unique expression of your infinite love, care, and creativity. Help us, O Lord, to see ourselves as you see us?objects of your extravagant love and tender affection. Through Christ. Amen. (JLB)