Selah.
One small word that is packed with infinite wisdom.
Selah is Hebrew for “pause and reflect” or “stop and listen”. Selah is also the name of my girlfriend’s daughter…who is one small gal that is infinitely wise. For about one whole year, she referred to her buddy, Mrs. Fink, as “Geek” (that’s how she got Fink out).
I told ya…real, wisdom.
This past month, God has placed an urgency on my heart to “selah”, to practice listening prayer like an olympic athlete trains for the gold. I’ve been having longer selah periods in the morning and tid bits throughout the day.
And all the while, I’ve been looking for something, anything…like a burning bush to appear, I’ll even take a small shrub, and to hear God speak like He did with Moses (Exodus 3:1-4:17). But there’s no burning bush…just a whole lotta bed head.
And I’ve been disappointed.
Not in the bedhead (I’m rather used to that) but the lack of burning bush experience. I somehow think that would be the “epic win” of practicing this whole listening prayer business.
I realize how childish this all sounds that I actually think I need to be rewarded with a head pat (or campfire) for listening expectantly for my Father to talk.
It’s childish alright.
The reward is just sitting silently alone with my best friend, enjoying the time together.
My human best friend, the Finkster,and I now have that kind of relationship. We can be in the same room and be silent…and there’s just a deep joy.
Grant it, I’d rather be whooping his be-hind in Scrabble, but a very similar joy rests in just being together.
Perhaps the “reward” is that deep joy that comes with just being with Him.
My friend, Nancy, has the best definition of joy that I’ve ever heard, “Joy is not the absence of pain, but the presence of the Lord”.
The presence of the Lord is better than any burning bush that would stress my favorite firefighter out anyway.
First, what’s the most awesome nickname that you’ve been given by a child?
Second, what’s something that God’s asking you to do that’s stretching you???
OK. … The nickname, given to me by nephew, Peter, is DO. Given to me because he could not pronounce my name. It fits me on many levels … Always “doing” something … There in comes my struggle … To not always have the need to “do” something. I’m learning that sometimes we all need time to just sit and do nothing. That’s why I’m finding more joy in our camping trips. Sitting in the woods, taking in God’s wonders, ahhhhh!!!
And wow has “Do” stuck!!!!
I’m a “do-er” too and have a difficult time “be-ing” – but with the rockin’ RV of yours (aka: hotel on wheels) it sure makes the beauty of God’s nature all the more beautiful!
My boys call me Joann Star-heart Johnson … b/c I was not given a middle name and they felt that that suited me best! God is currently stretching me in the area of patience … I think I need a lot of work b/c I find myself trying to practice having patience many times a day for various reasons
You have a STAR HEART alright!
Childhood nickname, Merrimurph. I don’t think it has ever been spelled out before. My friends Father gave it to me. I do wish I knew just where Mr. Baxter got it from.
Merrimurph is really CUTE!!!!
When my oldest was young, he used to call me Honey Mama; because my husband calls me Honey, and he called me Mama. It was endearing! God is currently stretching me in the area of worry. There are a lot of things I worry about that are beyond my control. I need to sit back and give these things to God and not try to take them back. I think your friend’s definition of joy is perfect! Everyone needs more JOY in their lives!
HoneyMama is SO SWEET!!!!!!