I hate clouded issues.
If you were to walk up to me and ask me what I thought about wine, I'd say something along the lines of, "Great stuff, but I never touch it." If you asked me that same question among a group of unacknowledging alcoholics though, that answer would not work any more.
If you ask me about the silencing of the mind in prayer in 1990, I'd say it was great stuff in moderation. In 2007, though, the scenery has changed. Suddenly, the whole church seems to be jumping on the contemplative prayer wagon and taking the ride to wherever it stops. Suddenly, this once fringe practice is being mainstreamed and presented as a panacea.
So, have you heard about it? Is it being introduced in your church? Are you being taught how to silence your mind and listen for the guidance of the Spirit? Breath prayers? Repeating the Name of the Lord to still your soul and make room for your spirit to touch God?
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4 comments:
There are signs that we may be talking of it at some point but not yet.
Y'know, our church isn't on that bandwagon. But that class I'm taking, the Prof is driving the bandwagon. (One of the main guys writing the books that started the bandwagon is a Quaker, btw, in case you're wondering.)
The alcohol analogy is good: anything can be overdone. If the point of reviving contemplative prayer is to restore balance, then great. If it becomes an imbalance in itself, bad. If it becomes an end in itself or a badge of spiritual honor, idolatrous and/or deluded ...
"Be still, and know that I AM" has its place. So does "meditate on the law day and night," and "Love your neighbor," and "teach your children," and "whoever does not take care of his own family is worse than a pagan," and the Lord's prayer ...
Take care & God bless
Not sure that I think about meditation the way some people traditionally think about it. I think that when Joshua is charged to meditate on the scripture day and night he is being charged to integrate the scripture into every aspect of his life.. to think about it in everything he did.. not just take some time to regularly think about it.
For me, some of the most impactful times with the Lord has been in the mundane events of life when I am walking around thinking about and talking to Him.. He then seemingly breaks through and speaks as only He can.
I am not sure what it is about religion but it seems that it always emphasizes the percentage.. tithing.. quiet time.. prayer.. all seems to ignore the obvious.. God wants all of us.
Don't misunderstand me.. Jesus regularly spent time in solitude and we need to as well.. but maybe it just needs to be a bit more personal and less of a formula.. I drone on....
ditto what KB said...
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