Lots of people talk about what the Lord wants. Wonder how many has ever asked Him?”
–Elmer Kelton (The Good Old Boys)
“LORD, accept my offerings of praise, and teach me your regulations. My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions.”
–Psalm 119:108-109 (NLT)
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“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
–2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)
I have read some of the writings of those who went off by themselves (hermits) or those who went to monasteries to be alone with God. They had the right concept, but the wrong methodology. Yes, there are times we need to get alone to shut ourselves in with God, but we are never to seclude ourselves for we are to be salt and light unto the world. This cannot be done behind the ways of a monastery or even up in the high lonesome. I recall the old chorus:
“Shut in with God in a secret place;
There in the Spirit beholding His face;
Gaining more Power to run in the race,
I love to be shut in with God.”
–William Grum
We don’t have to run to the mountains or the walls of seclusion to be alone with God. This can happen while we’re driving, while we’re walking. And know this, there is a time to get alone with God–try your “prayer closet.” John Owen reminds us, “There have been those who withdrew from normal life in the mistaken belief that this was essential to spirituality. But spiritual mindedness does not mean withdrawing from life; it means bringing spirituality into every part of life.”
God is there! Where is that? Wherever you are He is there with you. “A spiritual attitude of mind is no hindrance to secular work: even though a pot is full of chaff (the secular) you can still pour a lot of water (the spiritual) into the same space.” (Owen) Jesus tells us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21, NIV) That includes our mind, our will and our emotions–the total person. We are to keep an attitude that focuses on the Lord and the things of God.
“Spiritual mindedness grows from and consists of being delighted by spiritual things: what we love is what captures us. The great contest between heaven and earth is to see which of them can most draw out our love. Whoever has our love has the whole of us; love causes us to give ourselves away as nothing else can. Our love is like the rudder of a ship–where it is turned, there the ship goes.” (Owen)
Practice the presence of God wherever you are and in whatever situation you may find yourself.