LIsten to Glisten

UV 1694/10000 Listen to Glisten
If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.

Job 33 v 33

We need to restrain our tongues and still our restless thoughts in the presence of the Lord every day in order that He be able to teach us wisdom. Being still in His presence quickens or awakens our spirits. Being still in His presence implies that we quieten ourselves in order to listen to the Lord. Like Job had to hold his peace, in order to understand the purpose of the Lord in allowing much suffering and misfortune to befall him. There are times in each day as well as seasons in our lives where we need to spend time at the feet of Jesus just quietly reflecting over the course of our lives and the hand of the Lord in our lives. We might be puzzled why the Lord allowed a certain adversity in our lives or the lives of our near and dear ones. We might be seeking an answer for questions that the Lord alone can answer. We might be feeling weak, physically, emotionally, spiritually demotivated and be in need of a rejuvenation. These are both signals and triggers for us to quieten ourselves and spend time just listening to the Lord. There is a bit of the two sisters Mary and Martha in us. We are often like Martha caught up in the affairs and engagements of this world drowning out the voice of the Lord, finding fault with others who seek to slow down and just soak in the presence of the Lord. Every day we need to ask the Martha in us to hold her peace and like Mary spend quality time at the feet of the Lord as He teaches, counsels, heals, delivers, touches, encourages, explains, admonishes, moulds and injects deeper and deeper wisdom into us with His words of wisdom and eternal life.

The next four days I have chosen to be a sabbatical for me for the purpose of quietening myself and listening to the Lord. The word “sabbatical” comes from the Sabbath- it is an extended Sabbath to know the Lord, His Word, His will and purpose for our lives. We listen in order to glisten or to shine even more brightly than in the past. It is not time lost but we will be able to accelerate the pace of our life, our work and deepen our wisdom and understanding, increase our inner strength and be able to focus better and accomplish more in the days, weeks, months and years that follow. We will rise in the Lord’s presence with a double portion of His anointing, His power and grace and be able to do our tasks and fulfil our responsibilities with redoubled vigour. Our tongues and minds need to be rested even as our bodies and even the sun itself in a manner of speaking rests overnight to be able to be up and about the next day. We need a break from the past in order to have a breakthrough of understanding and wisdom.

Times of listening at the feet of the Lord are a retreat from the world of our routine but it is a time of casting deeper roots in the Lord and making great advances in the realm of the spirit- the kingdom of God. The restless tongue and the restless mind both find complete peace in the Lord. As St James, the great tongue specialist wrote, “ The one who is able to control his tongue is perfect.” Holding our peace is equivalent of surrendering ourselves to the Spirit of the Lord in order to be ministered to, taught and strengthened by Him. This uni-verse is a promise to us that whenever we hold our tongues or our peace, with a resolve to listen to the Holy Spirit, He will teach us wisdom. He will teach us how to apply the truths that we learnt straight from the Lord’s mouth, not the horse’s mouth for we can get our horses or our forces and resources ready for deployment but it is the Lord who gives victory. These are periods of renewal and intimacy with the Lord where we still our own thoughts, emotions and desires and incline our inner ears closer and closer to the Lord’s mouth. He will teach us wisdom in how to apply His Word to our work, to our inner life, to our relationships, to our challenges, to our ministry, to our legacy and contributions. He will teach us wisdom to justify us or straighten out the crooked parts of our souls and lives. He will teach us wisdom to know Him better- the ultimate knowledge. He will teach us wisdom to be like Him and follow Him. He will teach us wisdom to align our thoughts, attitudes, emotions, words, actions and reactions with His Word, will and purpose. No part or secrets of His wisdom and understanding will He withhold or hide from us as He has promised to impart it to us in generous portions and not stingily or miserly. He will teach us wisdom to live the abundant, effective, successful and eternal life. He will teach us wisdom to live the “win-win” life- win here on earth and win in heaven or eternity.

Prateep V Philip