Alone with God Exercises of the Spirit

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20098, 18 November 1939, Page 8

Alone with God Exercises of the Spirit

WHAT is the moaning of this strange story? Here was a man under a great strain. Elijah had been hunted by the vindictive Ahab tor years, and now, after the Carme] testing, his life was threatened by the redoubtable Jezebel. Harassed and dejected, lie wished for death. In his extremity a revelation of God came to him. In the historic region where amid terrifying phenomena of nature the law of God had been spoken to Israel, the prophet waited for the voice of God. A strong wind rent the mountain, then came earthquake and a raging (ire, but Elijah found Him not in these things. In the silence that followed these natural convulsions there was heard a still small voice—it was the voice of God

We may not experience scenes so violent and disturbing as did Elijah, but life for most of us is noisy and disturbing enough to make necessary some quiet moments —a portion of every day if possible—in which God may speak to us. Our Lord felt the need. How often he retired from all human companionship to be alone with God! Perhaps there is nothing in our busy, hustling lives which we need more. An active Hindu writer said: "In studying Western civilisation I have felt there is something wanting. This something India has. If we want to avert all future wars, even the possibility of war, we must humbly sit on a prayer rug instead of rushing about in motor cars." That is the way of the East. It is difficult for us. with our aggressive, hurrying ways, to see any wisdom in it. Yet here is one of the deepest secrets of life. "We must humbly sit. or kneel, on a prayer rug." Not tiiat the posture matters very much if our hearts are bowed to God. "Morning Watch" Oswald Smith, the Canadian evangelist, told us when he was in Melbourne that in his "morning watch" lie was troubled by two weaknesses — lie became drowsy and his thoughts were prone to wander. To overcome the first he walked up and clown the room while he prayed, and to conquer the second he talked aloud to God. He was in "the secret of His presence," and that was the essential tiling." When shall we find time for tliij season of communion! Almost all who tell us their experience say that the early morning is the best time. I have found it so. It will also be the best time. I imagine, for you. Some people, such as busy housewives, who must prepare the family breakfast and gee the various members, of the home away to work, may find a later hour oi' the day more convenient. Wheu I began definitely to use the early morning for quiet communion with God—l had neglected it for a long time—l found I had to begin the night before and acquire the habit of going promptly to bed instead of idling away a half-hour or an hour after the evening tasks were done. You will find that leisure is necessary if the quiet time is to mean very much to you. You cannot come to it with a rush. You cannot pray in a .hurry. One may pray quickly in an emergency as Nehemiah (.2:4) did if he has learned the secret of prayer. But the time you spend with God must

Contributed by the Ministers' Association

not be hurried if its blessing is to come to you. Technique Necessary When you come to this time of quiet prayer it is well if you have developed a little technique. That may seem strange to associate technique with the exercises of the spirit. But really, all the best experiences of life come to their fullest expression that way. You will naturally- form your own technique as you go along, but some suggestions as to what others have found helpful make be of value. Suppose, then, we begin with a few minutes of waiting, in which we think of God, and of the experience we have come to share with him. It is essential that our hearts become receptive to his will tor us. Try to realise that you arc drawing near io God and are looking for him to draw near to

The apostle Paul laid great stress on the exercise of thanksgiving in prayer (Phil. 4: 5,6), and we might weil give a little definite time to giving thanks to God for his unmeasured blessings. Take your Bible then, and read, ready to hear some word of God for the day. You will need to examine yourself, too, before him. It is demanded of us that we be perfect, as he is. and in his presence we shall often be con-

scions that we have failed. Let us be very honest with ourselves and God and be prepared to start anew with him as he renews his grace in us. Each morning. I feel, we need to renew our consecration, binding vice. I have spoken of the more personal side of this sacred experience—we shall not forget that supplications and prayers are to be made for all men. "I found," said Stephen Fool in "Life Began Yesterday," "that I was living at a lower level of happiness and effectiveness than was intended for me. but that there was waiting a quality of life, capable of producing a peace of mind, a joyfulness of thought, and a radiance of living that can only be described as a new life." Perhaps we might all have more of that experience if we spent more time alone with God.