This one’s for Rob V!

A few days ago I wrote a post about the Holy Spirit being our teacher. I was asked to share a few practical ways to enter into a life of fellowship with our Teacher and well, not a whole lot has struck me other than: taking time to say thank you to Him. It is a deep conviction of mine that the only way to stay in a deep, abiding place of union with the Spirit of Truth is to engage Him with truth. Let me give an example. “Thank you Holy Spirit for teaching me about Jesus, I love you, teach me more, show me the kingdom, move me into union with Him.” It’s so hard to sit still for two hours a day and make yourself a contemplative with encounters in fire, levatation, and unutterable ecstasy of Jesus. But, it’s not quite so hard to say thanks for the things that strike you in a day about the person and work of Jesus. I think for begginers, the only way for the deeper life of union (especially in our culture) is short, sweet meditative prayers throughout the day to keep our hearts engaged. After doing this for a few years I have found that those short 30 second prayers that have been prayed 10-15 times a day become longings for time alone with Him in deep and sustained ways. The next issue is actually setting everything aside when your heart begins to be moved for time away with Him and to simply agree with those longings by going away to rest in Him. Now it is obvious that not everyone can just drop life and engage in these times of contemplation when the heart is moved towards Him in it, indeed few can but I have found that the best thing I can do is to let the longing reside by still engaging in the short prayers without rushing away for hours. The temptation here is to get frustrated when you can’t steal away with Him and drop everything. Instead it is a good practice to remeber the longing, say a prayer of gratitude to the Spirit for moving your heart in it and then wait until an appropriate time comes, maybe hours later in the day and then call it to rememberance again when you have finally had opportunity to be alone with Him. This is a positive practice in two main ways; firstly it keeps you longing for more of Him in a continual way throughout the course of the day. What many fail to realize here is that the Spirit is working in them as they long for time away with Him. This bears much fruit in that those who come into contact with you may sense the movement of the Spirit on you as you are in a perpetual longing state. Secondly, it keeps your hope in a steady place as you pray briefly through the day until the longing can be fulfilled at the close of the day when you have the appropriate time and silence to fully engage the desire that has been stirring in you all day. These are just a few practical thoughts on the subject and in no way cover the many and various ways to embrace the deeper inner life. However, I hope they might be of some help to you all as you seek to live the first commandment day in and day out. Amen.