Wait Quietly In My Presence..

..while My thoughts form silently in the depths of your being.

How cool is it that this actually happens.

When I read about being silent before God I usually somewhat glaze over it because it doesn't seem like that complicated of a thing to do. In fact, it actually sounds self-explanatory. But today when I read over it I was face planted into the reality that when I try to do this I usually don't experience anything. I don't feel like I gain more wisdom, revelation, peace, joy, or answers when I silence myself before God. So today after I read this entry I wrote in my journal, "God, what does it look like to 'wait patiently in Your Presence?' " I thought then that the best way to learn how to do this was by looking at Jesus' example. The first example (and only example, really) I could think of was when Jesus was in Gethsemane.

In Matthew, Mark and Luke Jesus went to Gethsemane seeking God - His will, His strength, His Peace, which basically covers every reason we go to God ever. What I needed God to show me was, in a practical manner, what the heck did Jesus do that I should do to connect with God and receive these things?? Blatently and practically, how?

1) Jesus was honest in prayer.
Matthew 26:39 - "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me." In complete sorrow and weakness, Jesus cries out to His Lord at the beginning of His time in silence with God. Lay your requests before Me and wait in expectation.

2) Jesus was segragated from others.
Matthew 26:39 - "Going a little further, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed..."
Yet, Luke 22:41 - "He withdrew about a stone's throw beyong them, knelt down and prayed..."
In the end, the exact distance is not what it is about. Still, I thought it was so interesting that He was not more than a stone's throw away. Whenever I think of waiting quietly in God's Presence, I think of myself as needing to be FAR away from anyone and anything, making these times of silence not very frequent. I think that Jesus showed that distance is necessary, but God lives IN us - we can be silent with Him easier and more often than we think.

3) Jesus was expectant.
Jesus knew that He was seeking God's will on something that would happen within the hour. He therefore knew that God would speak to Him. Also, Psalm 5:3 - "In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."

4) Jesus realized God's authority and acknowledged God's will be done, not His own.
Mark 14:36 - "...everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
Matthew 26:42 - "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

5) Although Jesus was deeply troubled, "overwhelmed with sorrow", His words that were written are few.
Maybe Jesus did say more in prayer, but from what was written, Jesus addressed God, said what was on His heart, and then waited. How long? I think about an hour, which is what I got from the text. I could be wrong. But the amount of time is obviously situational. No matter how long, Jesus waited to hear God's voice instead of continuing to speak. As should we.

After reading about this, I tried it. Somewhat experimental at first, but then I realized HELLO! I was speaking to our Almighty Savior. I think one of many areas where I have gone wrong with this in the past is because I have always figuratively looked toward Heaven, waiting to get a word from God somewhere WAY up in Heaven in moments of silence. It hit me today because of Sarah's words that God chose to make My humble home in your heart. IN MY HEART. What we are waiting on in silent moments are words from God straight from our hearts. So direct! So close! So cool!

Sorry this is so long. Praise God because I feel like he blessed me with some cool revelations today, so I am totally humbled and excited. He is so good and gracious to us.

Love you all.