Sitting with God

First Reading: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
But on the morrow, desiring to know the real reason why the Jews accused him, he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them. But when Paul perceived that one part were Sad'ducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead I am on trial." And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sad'ducees; and the assembly was divided. For the Sad'ducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. Then a great clamor arose; and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and contended, "We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?" And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and bring him into the barracks. The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome."

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 16:1-2, 5, 7-11
Preserve me, O God, for in thee I take refuge. I say to the LORD, "Thou art my Lord; I have no good apart from thee." The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; thou holdest my lot. I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also dwells secure. For thou dost not give me up to Sheol, or let thy godly one see the Pit. Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fulness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Gospel: John 17:20-26
"I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which thou hast given me in thy love for me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world has not known thee, but I have known thee; and these know that thou hast sent me. I made known to them thy name, and I will make it known, that the love with which thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them."

ESV

When was the last time you called your mother? I mean really, intentionally called your mother just to talk, just to say "Hi" and "How's the weather?" and not with a request or a question, not with a problem or a pain? Was it yesterday, the day before, or maybe last week?

When was the last time you made a big decision after talking it over with a friend, spouse or parenting? That time when you really sat and listened to their side, their concerns and their vision of your future? Probably within the last few weeks or month I would wager.

When was the last time you sat with God? When was the last time you went to Him with no problems or requests and just sat with Him and talked and told Him about your day? When was the last time you sat quietly in His presence as you tried to figure out the next big move in your life, your career, or your family?

I know I don't do this enough. I live in an instant age and I want an instant answer, and living in a time when I can Google most anything does not make me well suited to sitting in silence or quieting the outside voices and listening and waiting.

God is infinite, omnipotent and omnipresent and as such I cannot believe He can be rushed. As Tolkien describes his wandering wizards, I believe God's answers can never be early or late, but arrive exactly when they mean too.

God's answer can never be early or late, but arrive exactly when they mean too.Click to tweet

Today, let's remember to talk to God. If you can, when you're out running about today, stop in and sit in His presence. If only for a few minutes, just stop: don't talk, don't ask, don't complain.

Sit at His feet and listen; in His due time, precisely when He means to, the answer will come.

photo by Laura Jensen

Molly Walter is a wife, mother and homemaker (with a pesky job outside the home). She shares about making the life she wants with the life she's been given over here.