“When we seek to draw near to God in our actions — meditating, listening to a sermon, singing, serving, fasting — we are moving from rest into his peace. We recognize that we are discordant notes in the symphony of God’s kingdom and that he is tuning our hearts to sing his praise. . . . Training for life in the kingdom . . . is a whole-life harmonizing around ‘the beauty of holiness’ (Psalm 29:2 NKJV).”- Kyle Strobel and John Coe
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.”- Psalm 29:2 (ESV)
As Kyle Strobel and John Coe move on in Chapter 9 of When God Seems Distant, they stress what it means to start with rest. Hence, starting with rest means that we lay down all of our desires to establish our own rest. Or to get out of the desert and avoid desolation. Thus, as we walk by faith, we present ourselves to the Lord. Furthermore, we trust Him wherever He leads.
Therefore, as we train for life in the presence of God, we receive Him, rest in Him, and embrace what God calls good, holy, and true. Thus, through His grace, we walk into His reign and rule as the proper way to see the world.
Consequently, Kyle and John point out:
“We do not achieve this through spiritual practices themselves; our action does not from the kingdom in us. Rather, through spiritual practices, we are taking a step into the unseen reign of God and walking into his presence as a way to affirm the truth of who he is and what he has done. This is why our spiritual life is an entire life and not merely a set of disciplines. We are called to become a certain kind of person, a person who flourishes in the presence of God. All of life can be lived in the rest and peace of God.”
Today’s question: What discordant notes do you play in the symphony of God’s kingdom? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Spiritual practices – the goal”