Releaser of Captives, whose grace goes out ahead of us.
In stillness and silence, your powerful Presence reveals all that holds us from living fully. Help us surrender so that we can be purified of our idols and addictions. As we break free, others gain their freedom also. May we go forth as monks in the world, gently placing each step with mercy and peace. Amen.
David Augsberger said that “being heard is so to being loved that for the average person they are almost indistinguishable.” In Exodus 2:23-24, it says God heard the cries of the Israelites in Egypt. God hears us so it might be important for us to listen for God. As a distinctively Wesleyan Christian, I am wedded to the idea that God is out there ahead of us, making it possible for us to know God. God initiates and reaches out for us. There is nothing we can do to make God love us any more! Listening for God may be the first step in our responding to God’s love for us.
Entering into silence is an intimate experience that illuminates the Love that holds, heals and releases our lives. In silence, we come to know God better and we come to know ourselves better, too. Silence gives us a sense of the fullness of God’s Presence. In practicing silence, it may seem that nothing is happening, though later in our day, we may be invited to more common connection with the Divine. Try ten minutes of silence this morning, go forth in peace, and watch for how Love comes to meet you throughout this day.
