He is There, Can You Hear Him?

Mark 13:26  “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”

When we come to a place where we don’t understand what is happening…when everything seems to be caving in, there is Jesus. We always have the forgiveness of the cross, the victory of the empty tomb, and the hope of Christ’s imminent return.

When we go to the doctor and he tells us we have a malignancy or when we hear that we are infertile as a couple and cannot bear a child, He is there. When we have to declare bankruptcy or we are laid off work, He is there. When we read a note that our spouse has left or a loved one dies because of a terrorist act, He is there. We have a Savior…and we have a choice to believe or not to believe.

We can begin to murmur, criticize, grumble, and despair or we can yield to the Savior and hear Him say, “My child, no matter what is happening, this is how much I love you. Look to the cross. Look to the empty tomb. Look for Me. I’m coming again.”

Maybe we have created such noise in our world that we cannot hear Him because of the chaos in which we live. We might need to turn down the volume of our crazy, busy lives. Maybe we need to reevaluate the activities to which we devote our time and/or the people in which we spend that time. Are we spending time with people that make God a priority in their life? Are we communing with other believers who remind us to lift our eyes off our problems and to the one source of true comfort? Are we sharing the new of Jesus with those that do not know Him at all? Are we stepping into a place of personal solitude for one on one time with Jesus?

This reflects my own inclinations and personality, but I think it also points to two profound requirements for the Christian life—to engage with friends and families as well as with those whose lives are devoid of faith or who are struggling in the shadow of doubt; to gather together in Christ's name, to meet with others for worship and communion, but also to allow for time and space for personal solitude and silence when we can read, ponder, listen, heal, and allow the Creator and the Creation to speak to us and renew us in quietness.

I remember realizing once that loneliness is not a choice, but solitude is. When I need an injection of new energy, I've made it a practice to retreat, to plan a solo time with myself and God.  In that environment, separated from human society, I can follow the injunction “Be still and know that I am God.” I nearly always find, in that stillness a rejuvenation, a divine reconnection that prepares me for re-entry and re-engagement with God's children anywhere, once again fully alive and ready for action!

This is easier to do than it sounds. Options are out there; check into a retreat house or camp in the wilderness, go sit alone in your car, close the door to your room and mean it, or take a “sabbatical weekend” at home. Clear the daily, usual distractions, and then open your heart to Him.

Get in a position of humility. If you can, drop to your knees. If you cannot, bow your head and close your eyes. Imagine the cross of Christ. Meditate upon the shame Christ experienced, the pain He endured, and the victory He secured in His death. Imagine the love and absolute dedication to you of the One doing these things. He will not forsake and leave you now; He is there.