Being alone with the Alone
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Faith, Brennan Manning, reflection, Ragamuffin
Date: 05 May 2008 22:09:44
I meant to post this a few days ago, but I got caught up with all the conference stuff.
As part of my daily readings I use this fab little book called Reflections for Ragamuffins: Daily Devotions by Brennan Manning. I find it a very helpful book and Manning defines Ragamuffins as "the poor in spirit, those who were little in their own sight, those who were conscious of their nakedness and poverty before God and who thus cast themselves without reservation on his mercy".
One of the readings really spoke to me
“As a fringe benefit, practicing silent solitude enables us to sleep less and to feel more energetic. The energy expended in the exhausting pursuit of illusory happiness is now available to be focused on the things that really matter - love, friendship and intimacy with God.
Being alone with the Alone moves us from what John Henry Newman called rational or notional knowledge to real knowledge. The first means that I know something in a remote abstract way that never intrudes on my consciousness; the second means I may not know it but I act on it anyway. In solitary silence we listen with great attentiveness to the voice that calls us the beloved. God speaks to the deepest strata of our souls, into out self-hatred and shame, our narcissism, and takes us through the night into the daylight of his truth."
Those who know me in real life will know that I find silence an extraordinarily difficult thing to face head-on. I like being distracted by noise, people, things etc. and yet I am finding myself drawn to this concept of being alone with the Alone. It seems that all my Christian life I have sought out distraction; long drawn-out sermons, happy-clappy worship and lots and lots of people asking me how I am, even if they don't really want to hear the honest answer.I am not sure I will ever really get to grips with this, but maybe it is only now that I am beginning to truly appreciate that the reality of pursuing this quiet, centered approach to God (for at least part of my worship and devotional experience) is a vital part of my faith and my relationship with Jesus. The need to settle in his presence without the avoidant behaviour both terrifies and delights me. I guess it is like being with good friends with whom you have no need to talk. The silence is OK, never uncomfortable, but instead there is something restorative about being with people who love you for being you. Maybe this is something I need to pursue with God. The need to impress or perform is not required because I am the one in whom he truly delights.
“He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.”
2 Samuel 22:20
he rescued me because he delighted in me.”
2 Samuel 22:20