Reading through the Ragamuffin Gospel last night, I cam upon Psalm 8. After turning the lights off, my music was playing softly and as I listened I heard lyrics that closely resembled this Psalm from Third Day’s “The Offering.” When things like this happen, I cannot help but think God is trying to get my attention…and when I open my heart to his truth and my eyes and ears to the many ways he may chose to speak to me, I find him in things like what happened tonight: scripture and song lyrics colliding. Scripture that was pulled from a book I am reading. It is times like these, where although some may call it coincidence, I like to think of it as God calling our attention to really listen. He grabs at our hearts and steal sour eyes and thoughts from anything that may be consuming or distracting us. And in a quiet still moment like last night, as I lie awake simply breathing, the Lord opened my heart to receive his truth.
Many times I find myself frustrated, thinking I am never hearing or seeing God. Frustrated, feeling my heart is receiving nothing. But then God reminds me, as he humbles me completely, that it is not that he is not speaking to me, moving all around me and through me, or pouring into my heart all the time-but rather I am simply too busy to listen. Too busy to watch and to feel. I am the one too busy for God, not the other way around. Imagine that, ironic isn’t it? We are always so anxious and determined and thirsty to FEEL something. Yet all along we are too busy or distracted to feel the most important thing of all-the only thing that can truly fulfill all of our deepest longings and desires. God is constantly pouring his Holy Spirit into our hearts, just has he says in Titus 3: 5-6 “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.” And he constantly is showing us and teaching us his truth. We simply don’t take the time to look around us, to open our eyes and our ears. We get consumed and distracted by this all too busy world.
I believe in the power of calling on Christ to open our hearts, eyes, ears and minds to him. But I also believe that we must be willing to submit ourselves completely to him. For until we do, we will only continue to be too busy to see and hear and feel his truth. I cannot explain the peace that comes over me as I call on Christ, “Come Lord Jesus, Come” on an evening like last night…where I am completely still, letting all thoughts be carried away like the tides of the ocean. And as I call on him to meet me in this place, to quiet my heart and my busy mind, firmly believing that he will answer…well it is times like these where I hear him. I am no longer too busy to notice the connection between a song, a book and scripture. Coincidence though it may seem-I trust that I is God getting through to me and making me listing by ringing something like that in my heart. Coincidence after all is simply God’s way of reminding us he’s present. It is in the simple and quiet moments, when we allow God to speak rather then trying to do all the talking, that God may reveal himself in the most real and radical ways. He is never far away. If we would only take the time to slow down, watch and listen. I think then we would find a taste of serenity being completely filled by his presence in this place-completely aware of his love and the pouring out of this Holy Spirit onto us.
Psalm 8: 1, 3-4 “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all of the earth! When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”
“Offering” (Third Day): “Magnificent, Holy Father. I stand in awe of all I see. Of all the things you have created, and still you choose to think of me. Who am I that you should suffer your very life to set me free? The only thing that I can give you is the very life you gave to me. This is my offering, dear Lord.”
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