I went to a presbytery committee meeting today in Bowling Green, Ohio. We oversee people on the way to being ordained as pastors or chaplains. It is a complicated process, to say the least. We had Skype interviews with two women on the path, plus housekeeping items to attend to. After a few hours my head was clogged. My brain is not wired to follow the erratic flow of conversation in group meetings in general; I am cognitively at a disadvantage in them. I left the meeting for a time and stepped into the next room for silence and centering, and I found this question written on the board. What is God saying to you — right now? I thought, this the most important question of all.
..I see a lot more homeless people panhandling dowtown nowdays..this would be a great new pitch to replace the tired old signage “will work for food” or “Vietnam vet needs your help” at the intersection. The preacher at my wife’s favorite church frequently uses this same slogan to drum up “support” for waining collections as well…
I suspect that God is saying and does say more to me than I can comprehend. For me the question becomes “What of what God is saying to me can I be aware of, or understand right now?” I’m not splitting hairs. Sometimes, since God doesn’t always speak to me in words – more often in feelings or inspirations – I wonder if I am “getting it right” when I feel God speak. This might go a ways to explain how people can do things that we feel aren’t right – and yet declare that they’re doing what God has told them to do…
Another question for me is “What am I demostrating knowlege of?” Or, pehaps “What am I testifying to?”. Does what I do reflect what I know, or am I just fooling myselft (while hoping I’m fooling others)? For example, I am a closet recluse – I know my desires to stay away from people conflicts with my hopes to serve them. So, I have to ask myself If what I’m doing shows my desire to retreat from people, or my genuine interest in interacting with and serving them.
I used to be on a committee with the Presbytery that distributed money to mission groups, worship groups and sent money to various disaster relief organizations. These questions came up often. Both “What is God saying to us right now?” and, “Does what we are doing reflect our desires in the most direct mannor?” It is interesting how the answers change.
One of many things I admire about Quakers is their focus on questions, called queries. I think it is a good practice to propose queries like these.
For many people, questions are how they worship – the Budists have their Koans… We have Christ’s parables. What I look for on Sunday is something to ponder for the rest of the week.
..i agree Chris, The format of Quaker meetings is almost identical to our AA meetings ,we have a reading from our ‘Daily Reflections’ book.This usually sets the general tone or topic for the meeting, then the floor is opened for sharing….
I worship mainly now each morning walking on the trail. The way the branches curve and meet overhead makes me think I’m in a cathedral. I carry my questions with me and pose them in the silence, waiting for an answer.
…I can relate to that Chris…
Let the hills show forth His praise
Beautiful. Thank you, Mike.