As I am sure you can imagine the discovery that with God every moment is a miracle is a wonderful gift that is hard to retain. I say 'hard to retain' because we are such ordinary creatures. How fickle we are! We like excitement, we like adventure and change and when we are in this state of 'Nothingness' little on the outside seems to actually change.
Of course few of us want to seek change for change's sake. Those who do tend to leap head first into disaster, but the sameness of 'ordinary' needs God's presence to transform it into the wonderful 'Something' I am talking about. And it needs to do it on a moment by moment basis to retain its wonder.
And God is able!
It is as we seek His face, as we retain Him in the centre of our focus that the extraordinary takes place.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The Irrelevencies of Nothingness
Because 'the moment' is the focus of this state of 'Nothingness' you soon discover there is a heightened sense of awareness that accompanies each moment. Your senses are on the alert. Each component of life becomes magnified in a healthy balanced way that celebrates the depth of being. Your eyes see with a new clarity, your ears hear with a new awareness. Each flower presents its beauty as a gift, each song as a serenade of praise - even the birds will praise Him.
As we dwell in this place we will discover that even the 'stones' will praise Him. God's character is magnified, His holiness seen with a new light, His righteousness adored, His grace received with new appreciation and His love embraced with a new fervor.
Drink in the moment. Fill your spirit with the glory of who God is and come to know Him more.
As we dwell in this place we will discover that even the 'stones' will praise Him. God's character is magnified, His holiness seen with a new light, His righteousness adored, His grace received with new appreciation and His love embraced with a new fervor.
Drink in the moment. Fill your spirit with the glory of who God is and come to know Him more.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Inside 'Nothingness'
As being in a place of 'Nothingness' in God is actually being in Him what does this mean? I believe it means being in the centre of His will - right where He wants you. In other words you are there because He wants you there - so there is no need to feel frustrated, irritated or confused.
Yet this place of 'Nothingness' is not nothing in the usual sense of the word. You are not bored or feeling helpless or hopeless instead there is a heightened sense of awareness. And this awareness is associated with God and also with where He has placed you.
There is nowhere that excludes God's presence. Even King David said, 'If I make my bed in hell,behold, You are there.' (Ps 139:8)
Yet this place of 'Nothingness' is not nothing in the usual sense of the word. You are not bored or feeling helpless or hopeless instead there is a heightened sense of awareness. And this awareness is associated with God and also with where He has placed you.
There is nowhere that excludes God's presence. Even King David said, 'If I make my bed in hell,behold, You are there.' (Ps 139:8)
Monday, October 11, 2010
Sitting in the Space
In my book 'Kick Addiction' I titled a chapter 'Sitting in the Space'. I have had more comments about this chapter than any other.
'Sitting in the Space' is that space we often feel after temptation - when we have finally resisted our temptation - and expect, at the very least, some sort of reward even if it is just praise. We want the angels to sing, the violins to play, so we can hear them! And yet what we so often get is - Space. It is a type of the 'Nothingness' I wish to explore. But only a type.
As we continue to 'Sit in the Space' and keep resisting the temptation to walk away, to make something happen, to turn to one of our idols for sad comfort God will eventually, in His time, reveal Himself in a new way.
This process is a surprising gift. It builds our faith, stretches us and forces us to grow toward Him. Ofcourse we can resist and turn away at any time because we always retain our right to use our will as we choose. But if we are a disciple of Jesus Christ, more than simply a believer or even a follower, then we will have given up our right to ourselves and we will persevere. And we will wait in this pregnant space to see what God will do.
'Sitting in the Space' is that space we often feel after temptation - when we have finally resisted our temptation - and expect, at the very least, some sort of reward even if it is just praise. We want the angels to sing, the violins to play, so we can hear them! And yet what we so often get is - Space. It is a type of the 'Nothingness' I wish to explore. But only a type.
As we continue to 'Sit in the Space' and keep resisting the temptation to walk away, to make something happen, to turn to one of our idols for sad comfort God will eventually, in His time, reveal Himself in a new way.
This process is a surprising gift. It builds our faith, stretches us and forces us to grow toward Him. Ofcourse we can resist and turn away at any time because we always retain our right to use our will as we choose. But if we are a disciple of Jesus Christ, more than simply a believer or even a follower, then we will have given up our right to ourselves and we will persevere. And we will wait in this pregnant space to see what God will do.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Nothingness
How strange it is. I have only just discovered how to find out how many people have been visitng my blog. There were far more than I ever imagined. But I didn't know and I felt as though I was just speaking to myself all the time. And I guess because I stopped being active you have all dropped off. I mean why would you look if there was nothing more to look at!
Anyway now I know so I hope you all come back and visit again and this time I will keep on going. This is the problem when you are not so computer literate but I am learning and isn't this what life is all about. How exciting that we can continue to learn not only about our world but even better - about our God.
Recently God has been speaking to me about 'Nothingness' and over the next few blogs I would like to share a little of what I am learning. Today I will just start with a quote from Oswald Chambers in his book 'Not Knowing Where'. I so love Oswald Chambers' work. He is my mentor.
This is what he writes, 'When God puts the dark of 'nothing' into our experience, it is the most positive something He can give us. If we do anything at this point it is sure to be wrong. We have to remain in the centre of nothing and say 'Thank you' for it. When God gives us nothing it is because we are inside Him, and by determining to do something we put ourselves outside Him. This is a great lesson that few of us seem to learn.' (Oswald Chambers 'No Knowing Where' Discovery House 1957,1989 p83-84)
Think about this.
Anyway now I know so I hope you all come back and visit again and this time I will keep on going. This is the problem when you are not so computer literate but I am learning and isn't this what life is all about. How exciting that we can continue to learn not only about our world but even better - about our God.
Recently God has been speaking to me about 'Nothingness' and over the next few blogs I would like to share a little of what I am learning. Today I will just start with a quote from Oswald Chambers in his book 'Not Knowing Where'. I so love Oswald Chambers' work. He is my mentor.
This is what he writes, 'When God puts the dark of 'nothing' into our experience, it is the most positive something He can give us. If we do anything at this point it is sure to be wrong. We have to remain in the centre of nothing and say 'Thank you' for it. When God gives us nothing it is because we are inside Him, and by determining to do something we put ourselves outside Him. This is a great lesson that few of us seem to learn.' (Oswald Chambers 'No Knowing Where' Discovery House 1957,1989 p83-84)
Think about this.
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