Solitude, Silence, and Unceasing Prayer
“The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:22-23 NRSV
Series: Everyday Apprentice
Devotional: 5 of 9
In His prayer for His disciples (both then and now), Jesus shows us that the relationship between Master and apprentice is interactive and intimate. He knows us, and in time, we begin to know Him. (See John 17:22-23 NRSV) As His apprentice, we begin to observe how He prioritizes time alone in the quiet with the Father to pray. Following His example, we learn to carve out regular time alone with Him in solitude and silence. Time to listen. Time to learn. But mostly just time to be present with Him for no particular reason at all.
As His apprentices, Jesus invites us to experience and be transformed by the unconditional love radiating from the presence of the Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Love that draws us close. Love that keeps inviting us to go deeper. And love that offers a fresh helping of grace and mercy with each passing day.
As the seeds of the One who is Love begin to grow, trust in the goodness of God springs forth. Trust between an apprentice and his Master goes beyond what the world can comprehend. Trust that happily exchanges control for peace. Trust that remains loyal in the face of temporary hardship. Trust that has taken the time to count the cost of following the One whose kingdom transcends time and space.
What the world may see as blind trust in what is unseen, the apprentice remains convinced that life in its fullest expression is only possible through willing obedience to the Master. Obedience to the Truth. Obedience that is willing to sit still in the fire, trusting that the flames are necessary to purify the soul. Obedience that is the natural overflow from an abundance of faith, hope, and love.
As you go, take a moment to reflect on the words of Henri Nouwen, an everyday apprentice like you and me, who experienced true intimacy with the Triune God at the intersection of solitude, silence, and unceasing prayer. "Solitude shows us the way to let our behavior be shaped not by compulsions of the world but by our new mind, the mind of Christ. Silence prevents us from being suffocated by our wordy world and teaches us to speak the Word of God. Finally, unceasing prayer gives solitude and silence their real meaning. In unceasing prayer, we descend with the mind into the heart. Thus we enter through our heart into the heart of God, who embraces all of history with his eternally creative and recreative love."
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Devotionals that illustrate Biblical principles in a simple and short format that can be applied to your everyday life.
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