Sometimes God’s coming to us is glorious, unmistakable, and loud. Like this psalmist, we are awed by what we witness. God’s presence arrives unbidden and we cannot fail to notice it. This is grace.
Other times, we need to get real quiet and still to notice the ways God comes to us. As we pay attention, we begin to discern the ways love and grace come to us. This can evoke tremendous consolation someplace deep within our souls and we become more trusting of God’s presence and action in our lives. This also is grace.
For others, God can seem painfully silent in the silence. Evidence of God’s presence becomes difficult to perceive with any of our senses. This too is grace, though hard to understand, appreciate or accept. John of the Cross writes at length of this experience and refers to it as the Dark Night of the Senses and the Dark Night of the Soul. We especially need spiritual companions in this experience to wait with us for what we cannot see, feel, hear, taste, or touch. We are here at Restoration Ministries to companion you in this kind of season. Please reach out if you are feeling bereft of God’s presence with you.
However God is coming to you in these days or in this season, may there be grace to trust that God is with you in all things. You are loved, accepted and welcomed just as you are.
Psalm 50:1-6 RSV
The Mighty One, God the LORD,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.
Our God comes, he does not keep silence,
before him is a devouring fire,
round about him a mighty tempest.
He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
“Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
The heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge!
For Reflection and Prayer:
Was there a word, a phrase, image, or feeling that ‘shimmered’ as you listened? Allow it to land in your heart. Stay with it. Savor it.
Reflect on what you heard. What effect does it have on you? What meaning does it hold for you? What does the Holy Spirit seem to be conveying to you? Talk it over in your prayer. Perhaps you want to draw or color your prayer or journal the conversation.
As the time of prayer comes to a close, share some moments of quiet with Jesus, simply resting safely in his presence.
