Silent Encounters

"I am becoming more and more aware that solitude indeed makes you more sensitive to the good in people and even enables you to bring it to the foreground." - Henri Nouwen, The Genesee Diary

I came across this quote while reading for my Mass Comm class and it has captivated me for weeks now.  You see, Scripture says that God does not reveal Himself through earth shattering winds, nor does He reveal Himself through devastating earthquakes, but instead He chooses time and time again to reveal Himself in the form a "still small voice" (1 Kings 19).

Simply, we find God in the silence and the stillness.  Prophets of the Ancient Near East would venture to the tops of mountains in order to encounter God, spending hours in prayer and solitude, waiting on the word of the Lord.

But what does this "solitude" mean within the context of our relationships with one another?  What is it that Nouwen could be hinting at?

Here's the conclusion I have come to after examining this quote, and let me be clear, I am in no way suggesting that this is a biblical fact, because the truth is I don't know if it is or not, I just simply felt that this question would be a very interesting topic to explore.

First, The Genesee Diary was composed by Nouwen during a seven-month period spent in a Trappist monastery while on sabbatical.  Contrary to popular belief, Trappist monks do not take a vow of silence, but instead choose only to speak when absolutely necessary.  The remainder of their time is spent in contemplative thought and prayer.  This means that more often than not, Nouwen would have been in complete silence and solitude; free from interruption and distraction, and able to think and pray.

Second, "good" is the definition of God.  In Mark 10:18, Jesus says "No one is good-except God alone," in Psalm 25, David refers to God's character as "good and upright," and Psalm 119:68a says "You are good, and what You do is good."  To say it plainly, who God is and what God does is good.

Finally, when applying these concepts to Nouwen's quote the question then becomes; if given the opportunity to dwell in solitude while in contemplative thought and prayer over our relationships, and if "good" is the definition of God, then does solitude make you more sensitive to God's presence in people?

Could it then be safe to say that in the silence, when we eliminate the noise and commotion of everyday life, and really take the time to slow down and pray for someone, that we are more likely find and encounter God in them?

Refreshment Anyone?

This morning, as I stopped by one of my favorite coffee shops to get some work done, I ran into a friend of mine named David.  I first met David my junior year of high school when I would help to lead worship at a local church in Glendora on Tuesday nights.  David was a volunteer small group leader with a heart for the Lord and a passion for ministry that made him one of the key leaders of the group.  Week in and week out, he would continually put himself in a place where God could move through him to reach the local junior high and high school students.

Simply put, he has allowed God to change lives through him.

We got to spent a few minutes catching up and during our conversation, the marathon that is Easter weekend came up.  I got to share with David my excitements and concerns regarding Easter and when I had finished, he said of one the most refreshing things I have heard in a long time...

"I will be praying for you."

I have noticed a trend lately in the Christian community that has made the phrase "I'll be praying for you" almost a greeting rather than a sincere statement of love, but this time was different.  These words were different.  They were genuine and true, and had weight to them.  They were a promise.

I immediately thought of Philemon 1:7, which says, "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people."

Without a doubt, one of the greatest forms of love is to go before the Lord on behalf of someone else, and I'm honored that David would do that for me.  To bring someone before the God of the universe is not something to be taken lightly, and it was refreshing to once again hear those words in their true, genuine nature.  

So thank you David, I appreciate it, and I'll be praying for you too this Easter.

Lessons Learned From Love Wins

Truthfully, the world doesn't need another review of Love Wins.

There are too many pastors out there who feel some sort of "calling" or that it is their "responsibility" to make some sort of statement about Rob Bell's latest book.  Its no secret that the majority of these "reviews" have just been excuses for Bell's enemies to publicly attack him behind the safety and security of their home computer screens.  Tell me if I'm wrong, but something about that just doesn't seem right...  

Now I must been truthfully honest with you, I have not yet finished reading Love Wins, so I have no right to state my opinion on the ideas that Bell offers, but with that truth on the table, I would like to offer one thought.

What can we learn from Love Wins?

Not the text, but simply, these two words.

In the early hours of the church, believers met together in community to commune, to pray, and to learning.  I think there's something more to be said about this scenario than Acts 2:42 initially reveals.  In these gatherings, believers would have been free to express and discuss ideas regarding their scriptural interpretations in an atmosphere of love and security.  Behind closed doors, ideas could have been safely discussed, rejected or accepted, all the while maintaining a level of love and respect for the teacher.

I believe its within this Acts 2:42 context that we find the most appropriate application of the words "love wins."

Yes as the body of Christ we are all entitled to our opinions about issues regarding faith, but if we refuse conduct ourselves in love when coming to and sharing our conclusions, we might as well keep our mouths shut.

Opinions of this book may undoubtedly vary, but there is indeed one truth that must certainly be taken:  When classless, public slander goes to war with compassionate, private disagreement, Love Wins.