Peripatetics: The Art of Walking
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
...I'm just finding some quotes that I find provocative and looking for some interaction in the "comments" section so we can have some on-line community going on here. So, here's today's quote from Charles Swindoll in "Paul":
"In less than a week, God transformed Saul from a vicious, Christian-hating murderer into a passionate preacher...But God had only begun. His ongoing process of preparing Saul was time away, all alone, to think through the implications of his newfound faith, to begin to know his Savior much more intimately, to come to terms with what it meant to be a messenger of grace."
..."For three years, Saul lived somewhere in the desert, cut off from his former manner of life--in solitude, quietness and obscurity."
..."I'm convinced it was there, in that barren place of obscurity, that Paul developed his theology. He met God, intimately and deeply. Silently and alone, he plumbed the unfathomable mysteries of sovereignty, election and depravity, the deity of Christ, the miraculous power of the Resurrection, the Church and future things. It became a three-year crash course in sound doctrine from which would flow a lifetime of preaching, teaching, and writing. More than that, it's where Paul tossed aside his polished trophies and traded his resume of religious credentials for a vibrant relationship with the risen Christ. Everything changed."
So, in today's comments, I'd like to see some discussion on this: Is it possible in today's warp speed American culture to find "solitude, quietness and obscurity? If so, how? Is it necessary to be "silent and alone" to meet God intimately and deeply? Why or why not?
Brent 10:01 PM
Comments:
It must be possible. Culture should not dictate our ability to be still before our maker. Still this is something I think everyone of us struggle with. How do we balance the demands of our time (i.e. work, children, husbands, church, etc.) and with the call to be still? I remember working full-time outside of the home and thinking, "I'll spend more time with God when I stop working." But it is still a struggle to look past all the distractions and sit quietly with the Lord. I really think my problem is a matter of priorities and desires. If my true desire was the cultivate my relationship with Christ , I would make every effort to do that. Somedays that is my desire, other days I'd rather get the laundry done. Sounds dumb doesn't it.
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