Daily devotional, Dec 25, 2023 Quiet time

“Be silent before me, you islands! Let the nations renew their strength! Let them come forward and speak; let us meet together at the place of judgment.”

Isaiah 41:1

As the merriest time of the year, Christmas is marked with the hustle and bustle of shopping, holiday preparations, parties, merrymaking, and happy conversations. Not a dull moment for most families!

But the very message of Christmas calls us to take moments, if not prolonged periods of silence, to reflect on the presence of God in our lives. Since the onset of the season, have we stopped to think what God wants us to do? Have we paused to reflect about His message for us. Do we even know if He is in our midst?

A passage in the Gospel of John chapter 15 tell us how to know if we are living in God’s presence:

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17

While God is with us all the time, we can feel His presence more in stillness. When we are alone with Him and our thoughts. This is the reason why when you are at your deepest moments of prayer in a quiet place, you can feel the Heavenly Father’s comforting presence enveloping you. Jesus modeled seeking this kind of stillness for us several times in the Gospel as quoted in the passages below:

"After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone," Matthew 14:23

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." 
Matthew 1:35

But more than ever, the digital age makes aloneness all the more awkward. This is the reason why most people find it weird to eat, go to the movies, or go to the coffee shop alone. When we find ourselves without anyone to talk to, we immediately seek comfort from our digital devices and endly scroll social media pages, or watch videos to keep our minds busy. It is like we are running away from stillness.

If you are like this, ask yourself if you are uncomfortable with your own thoughts? If you are, what is making you particularly uncomfortable? What do you remember? What do you suddenly think of that you need to replace what is on your mind with what the digital world is feeding you?
Constantly keeping our heads running on overdrive is counterintuitive to both our spiritual and physical well being. Countless neurological studies argue against overstimulation of the brain.

Unfortunately, this has become a defense mechanism for some people who are in the midst of a personal crisis, and trying to escape their realities. But the Bible tells us that overstimulating the mind is not the answer.  When we overwhelm ourselves with too much voices, information, and stuff, we may no longer be as receptive to hear what the Lord wants to tell us:

“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” Psalm 46:10

In the middle of his life’s most violent storm, Job’s friend, Prophet Elihu encouraged Job to be still and reflect on the power and majesty of God. Imagine, this could have been very difficult for Job to do because he has just lost all his children, all his property, and even his good health.

“Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders.Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash?” Job 37:14-15

So why don’t you take the cue from Prophet Elihu, and stop and reflect on what God has done for you in your life. Can He not deliver you from this current problem that you are running away from, when He has delivered you from all the calamities you have faced since birth?

Let us take a moment to reflect and be quiet amidst all the merriment, and reflect on our lives. Let us check if we are still walking with the Lord, and if we are not, maybe we can re-commit ourselves to Him this Christmas. Remember, it is only He who can hush the most powerful forces of nature, who can lull your raging heart.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on  Psalm 107 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question:  Are you comfortable to be alone with your thoughts?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for encouraging me to be still and reflect on your majesty as I go through the rigors of life. Let your ever present help be my shield and refuge, as I praise and thank you everyday of my life. Amen.