For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
(Is 55:10-11)
God's ways are like the rain and snow that gently fall and sink into the earth . . . and up comes the life. What a contrast with our ways, which involve wanting to open up another person's head and tinker around in there a bit! But, you see, God's ways are all patience and love, all grace and mercy. Our ways are all domination and control, all manipulation and guile.
With an inner knowing born out of friendship with Jesus, we begin to see that God's ways are altogether good. Our impatience, our rebellion, our nonacceptance give way to a gentle receptiveness to holy impulses. This is not some stoic resignation to "the will of God." It is an entering into the rhythm of the Spirit. It is a recognition that God's commandments are "for our good always" (Deut 6:24). It is a letting go of our way and a saying yes to God's way, not grudgingly but because we know it is the better way. To aid our sense of accepting God's ways, we might want to imagine ourselves on a lovely beach observing the footprints of God in the sand. Slowly we begin to place our feet into the prints. At some places the stride looks far too long for our small frame; at other places it looks so short that it appears childlike. In infinite wisdom God is stretch- ing us where we need to be on the edge of adventure, restraining us where we need greater attentiveness and stillness. As we follow God's lead, we enter more and more into the divine Stride, turning where God turns, accepting God's ways and finding them altogether good.
Are we present where we are? Sadly, we have to admit that often we are far removed from where we are. Perhaps our mind is stewing over a problem at the office when we should be attentive to our kids. Or we are mentally and emotionally off on a fishing trip when we should be attending to the people around us. Or when we start to pray, we are anywhere but in the presence of God. Recollection is that aspect of meditative prayer that can help draw us more fully into the place where we are. As this becomes a pattern of life, we will find ourselves more fully alive, more united and whole.
For more conversation on the new book Sanctuary of the Soul, visit the Patheos Book Club here.
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