Holy Resistance and Restraint
Today,
we meditate about Holy Resistance and Restraint. These are not native virtues we are born
with, rather they need to be intentionally cultivated and developed. When I was
a young boy growing up in the People’s Republic of China, Christian churches
and activities were scrutinized and monitored by the government; many of the Christian
workers, church leaders were persecuted, arrested, imprisoned and killed. Many of our family and friends were among
those that were affected by this decree.
Our living room was a busy gathering place where people came to meet and
pray with my grandfather. We were told
to be quiet and not allowed to play in the living room, even though it was the
only place my siblings and cousins usually play. Occasionally we would sneak into the living
room where the visitors and my grandfather were, we quietly watched them prayed
kneeling, usually for hours. We asked
grandpa why we needed to be quiet and of what they were doing, he replied “we
need to be quiet so we all could gain strength to resist the evil force and do
the work for God”. I also remember the family
time we had every evening, it included our extended family of twelve consisting
of my grandparents, my mom and my siblings, my aunt and my cousins. We sang and prayed, even the children
participated in the prayers. Even though
it was the most repressed time in my life, it also was a time of spiritual
growth for me.
Today
we live in a culture striving for the best in everything we do. We are high achievers and we are eager to
offer solution and fix for everything and anyone. In our practice for Holy Solitude, try
setting aside a time for quietness for God, pray for our family, church and
country. Pray for areas that need
improvements and changes. Pray for
courage to do things we are afraid to do and ask God to help us resist evil.
Psalm
46:10 “Be still and
know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in
the earth.”
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