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Tuesday, September 24, 2019

occupied

Opening Prayer: O Lord, help me to empty myself of all that is not you.  Amen.

Scripture: Psalm 131:1

Journal: What is your soul occupied with these days?  How can you empty it that God might fill you?

Reflection: “O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.” (Psalm 131:1)  
     There are no two ways about it, the occupied soul is one that has no room for God.  And it doesn’t even matter how great and marvelous the things are which occupy it.  They are taking up space that was designed for God, space that was created to be filled by him alone.  These things are consuming precious time and energy and attention that needs to be given to the life of the Spirit within and around us.  
     Thus, an emptying is necessary.  Or, at the very least, a stilling and a quieting must take place.  If we want to dwell with God, if we want to enjoy his presence and hear his voice and be aware of his activity in our lives, we must begin the process of calming our souls.  This is likely to involve some silence and solitude and prayer.  It is likely to require a place that is out of the normal traffic flow of our lives, one without noise and frenzy and activity.  We must allow the turbulent waters of our soul to become still and quiet, so we might be able to see what is underneath.  So we might be able to hear the still, small voice of the Spirit as it speaks to us in our depths. 
     The only question is: Will we make the time and the space necessary for this to happen?  If not, we should never expect that our souls would be anything other than occupied

Pray

Closing Prayer: O Lord, forgive us when we become occupied, when we get too full of ourselves that we get a little too big for our britches.  Forgive us when we fall in love with our own observations and opinions and begin to take ourselves far too seriously.  Forgive us when we begin to think that we can handle things on our own, or make things happen for ourselves.  For when we do these things, we take up all the space and leave no room for you to move and to act.
     Humble us, O Lord, and make us like little children in the arms of their mother.  Not children who are needy and demanding, but weaned children who are still and calm, safe and secure—fully satisfied in you.  Content to just be held in your loving embrace.  For that is what our hearts—and yours—most deeply long for.  Amen.

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