Social media has changed our world. We here in America live in a culture of sound bites and clichés. Every other post I see on Facebook or Twitter clamors for me to take sides and join the cause, whatever that cause may be. Whether it be political or religious, you must be either/or.
No. What we actually need is more circumspection. Big word, huh? Impressed? No, I didn’t make it up. It is an actual word. We need more people who are circumspect. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines it, “careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences.” Picture, if you will, somebody walking in a circle around a newly discovered object, looking at all sides before coming to a conclusion as to what it might be.
Something began to shift radically in my mind a couple of years ago. It wasn’t necessarily because of gaining more knowledge, although I do read a lot. For over 30 years I have practiced some sort of early-morning spiritual devotion. Whether it was reading through the Bible, reading a devotional book, or a chapter from Psalms or Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month, there was always something. Though I gained a lot of knowledge from the word of God, there was something missing. I had a strong relationship with the Bible, but not The Word. I had a good knowledge of truths, but not The Truth. The Word is a person. The Truth is a person. The practice of early-morning devotion has never been hard for me since I began doing it those many years ago. What was hard for me though, was prayer itself. I saw prayer predominately as asking God for things. In my mind I thought, “God already knows what I need and want, so why ask Him?” In recent years I have come to realize that it is so much more than just asking. It is more about waiting, watching, and listening than anything else. Prayer is about becoming so aware of what Jesus is doing that I actually begin to participate with Him.
I had an experience a couple of years that initiated this shift in prayer that I’m talking about. A couple of men were praying with me about a personal issue I was dealing with. There was a point in the ministry time where the men stopped talking and we all closed our eyes and asked Jesus to come in and show me what He wanted me to know. We got quiet and waited. Soon after, as I still had my eyes closed, I saw Jesus come in and sit across from me at a table. He served bread, wine, and meat. As we sat there eating, we laughed and made jokes. Then he looked me right in the eyes. As He did, it felt as if he was looking right through me. Then He said, “You’re unique, you’re special, and I like you.” I won’t take the time right now to tell you why He said those words, but it was healing for my soul. Afterwards I shared with the men what I had seen and heard. One of the men told me, “You need to visit that place often.”
I have many times. In fact, I go there almost every morning. I have a time set aside during my early-morning prayer where I stop talking, I get quiet and I just wait. Then He always meets me at the table. I have learned to be completely content in His presence. Sometimes He speaks, sometimes He shows me a picture, and sometimes He’s silent. I’m content simply because I’ve been with Him.
Sitting at the table with Jesus in the morning has helped me to be more circumspect in dealing with life and with people. I’m getting less and less angry these days as I see some of the ridiculousness on social media. When He is sitting with me at the table, all of the world’s opinions, accusations, and noise meant to distract me and anger me must pass between Jesus and I at the table. Most of the time they are reduced to nothing in the light of His gaze.
I think I’m beginning to understand what David was talking about when he said in Psalm 23, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
It’s a wonderful feast.
Kevin