Come In Out of the Wind

"All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind." Mere Christianity

The Mere Christianity Journal entry for today asks: "What do you think this 'larger, stronger, quieter life' looks like?"

I think it looks like Jesus.

Mark 1:21-39 tells us about a typical 24-hour period in the life of Jesus. On the Sabbath he went into the synagogue and began to teach. There was a man present with an evil spirit and Jesus cast it out of him. When Jesus and his companions left the synagogue they went to the home of Simon Peter and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever and Jesus healed her. That same evening the whole town of Capernaum gathered at the door because they had all heard about Jesus' healing power. They brought all the sick and demon-possessed to Jesus and he healed them.

After this very eventful Sabbath, chock full of ministry, we read that: "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35)

If Jesus needed to take time out to talk with his Father in heaven, how much more do we? And if Jesus could take time out from such a busy schedule, even rising very early in the morning, don't you think we can, with the help of the Holy Spirit? I think it was Martin Luther who once said that on his busiest days he took extra time for prayer in the morning.

So why not take time to come in out of the wind? Take time to stop, look and listen. God has a gift he wants to give you--a "larger, stronger, quieter life". Why put off receiving the gift any longer?

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