The Joeletter
For all of you who haven't heard, or haven't checked my blog (tsk tsk - http://www.joeletter.blogspot.com/), I am now a working man.
Contrary to what I wrote last time, a first shift job did present itself at Delta Faucet, and I started last Tuesday at 6:15 a.m. It astonishes me every morning that the sun is up before me, when I wake up at 5:20. Still, I'm glad that it is. If the sun weren't up, I don't think I would be able to drag myself out of bed to eat breakfast and make the twenty-five minute drive to the factory.
So far, my job experience has developed in two completely separate areas. The place where I am assigned, Plating, is a lot of fun. We take faucet parts out of boxes, and put them on metal racks. Then, the racks are put on a a machine that dips them into a nickel solution. Electrolysis plates nickel onto the faucet pieces.
The place where I've worked three of the past five working days is totally different. (And, yes, I started on Tuesday, but I worked today, Saturday, as well. That makes five). I'm not entirely sure what this place is called. It might be Polishing, or Coating, or Finishing. Whatever the name, I have been busy putting pieces into large rock-polishing machines, and taking the same pieces out a few minutes to several minutes later. While slightly more repetitive, this job is also fun.
Now, the fun involved in these jobs does not come from the jobs themselves. I would like to share with you something that has totally revolutionized my personal relationship with Jesus. This thing makes all factory jobs fun, sets you free from what other people think about you, and turns on a huge, never-ceasing fountain of joy right in the middle of your chest.
It's called Listening Prayer. Now, that's just a name, a convenient way to handle this 'thing,' this concept. I don't really care what you call it, if it is bringing you to know Jesus better.
I first learned about Listening Prayer from a book called "The Practice of the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence. Now, Listening Prayer is not mentioned throughout the entire book. What Brother Lawrence did was try to practice God's presence at all times. When I first read this book while in Deeper, I did not understand how exactly that worked.
What flipped the switch for me was a newer book entitled "Can You Hear Me?" by Brad Jersak. The book is available from Fresh Wind Press - http://www.freshwindpress.com/. The premise is that God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit is always speaking to us. Not always audibly, but always spiritually. Furthermore, that we do hear Him as He speaks to us.
To us, it makes sense that the more we grow toward God, the more He will speak to us. But, how then can we grow close to Him in the first place, if only at a certain 'level' does He begin to speak to us? And, what is this level? When have you attained it? In God's outrageous grace, He speaks to us all the time, just as he causes the rain to fall on the evil and the good.
To listen to Him, we must first believe that He is speaking, and that we can hear Him. This can seem a little scary, opening ourselves up to listening to someone outside ourselves, especially to One in the spiritual world. But, as Brad writes in his book, remember Jesus. He is strong, He is loving, and He is good. His voice is unlike any other. And His message is always consistent with all that He has already said.
Picture it this way, with an illustration from "Can You Hear Me?" You and a close friend are camping outside in a tent. It is pitch black, and you can't even see your hand in front of your face. You and your buddy are talking together. Outside the tent, however, are several of your enemies. They keep trying to sound like your friend, and cut in on the conversation. They keep lying to you.
Now think about it. Your friend is right there. He can hear all this. He loves you. He won't let these lies and impostors deceive you! Every time, He will tell you if it was Him or not. All you have to do is ask!
That is some background for listening prayer, but not the listening itself. Listening to Jesus involves the imagination. I realize that raises several red flags, again. We have been taught from childhood to live in the real world, not our imaginations. The imagination is where we make things up, not a place where anything serious happens.
I'm not sure that what we have been taught is entirely true. While it is true that we make things up with our imagination, I don't believe that our imagination is to blame. The imagination is, so to speak, a projection screen. You might think of the large, drop-down screens being installed in many of our churches today. The imagination is where we can 'see' things happening. But the 'screen' doesn't determine what is played upon it. The projector does.
If we ourselves act as the projector, then the screen of the imagination is only going to show what we decide. This, then, is where the limitations on imagination come from. We record our own movies, and then watch them play out in our imagination. But what if Jesus is the projector? Would not our perfect Savior show us only what is good, and true, and noble, and right?
This, then, is the core of listening prayer. Using our imaginations to meet with Jesus, the person. Using our imaginations to realize our relationship with Him.
For some, it's easier to first try with eyes closed, while others find it easier to listen in prayer with eyes open. Look and see what Jesus is wearing. For me, He is usually wearing the white robe and blue sash shown in Standard Publishing's depictions of Jesus. And that's fine. For you, He may be wearing jeans and a t-shirt. That also is fine. The point is spending time with Him, not his outfit.
Next, look up at His face. What expression is He wearing as He looks at you? Along with whatever other expression, you know that there will be love. He will never tell you something opposed to His word, because He does not change. He will never make you feel bad, or ashamed. If you're not sure it's really Him, just ask! He, our strong Lord, will always be right by your side, answering you.
Open your eyes, and look around. Where is Jesus? Is He sitting in one of the chairs by the table? Is he up on a tree branch? Is He right beside you? Practice finding Him wherever you are. He has promised never to leave. We just have to realize that.
At this point, you might be concerned that you're just making all this up in your head. To a point, you are. Remember, Jesus is working with your imagination. But the question to ask is not, "Am I just making this up?" That introduces doubt. Doubt in God is one of the primary weapons of Satan. Eve was tempted to doubt that God had her best interests in mind. James tells us that he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think that he will receive anything he asks for in prayer.
So don't doubt. The question is not, "Is this just my imagination?" Rather, the question should be, "Is this true? Is this You, Jesus?" Whether it is your imagination or not doesn't really matter. All that matters in life is what is true; what is Jesus. The one way to know what is true, and what is truly Him, is to know what He is like. Only through reading and knowing the Bible will you be able to hear Jesus clearly.
Listening prayer doesn't lead you away from the Bible and into your own little world. Rather, listening prayer (like all parts of the pursuit of Jesus) loops right back into His Word. What He says will always be consistent, both with the Bible, and with the messages that other people are hearing from Him.
There is a whole lot more that I will write about in the following Joeletters. But, for now, look around. Where is Jesus? What is He saying to me? How do I need to respond?
This is the thing makes all factory jobs fun, that sets you free from what other people think about you, and that turns on a huge fountain of joy right in the middle of your chest. It's hearing and seeing Jesus in a relationship. "And the things of earth / will grow strangely dim / in the light of His glory and grace."
If you have any questions before the next Joeletter, just let me know. I would highly recommend obtaining a copy of Brad Jersak's book, "Can You Hear Me?" for yourself and to share. I have not yet found a Christian bookstore that sells it, but the website is http://www.freshwindpress.com/. They also sell a children's story/picturebook version, appropriately entitled, "Children, can you hear me?" This beautifully illustrated book captures the heart and the message of listening to Jesus, our best friend. It's never to early, or too late, to start listening to Jesus. It might even be easier to understand than the adult version!
I have thought some more about writing of all that happened in Taize and afterward. Unless one of you really, really wants to know, I'm just not gonna write about it. It's over, done, and gone, and I'm living in the now.
In His Time,
For all of you who haven't heard, or haven't checked my blog (tsk tsk - http://www.joeletter.blogspot.com/), I am now a working man.
Contrary to what I wrote last time, a first shift job did present itself at Delta Faucet, and I started last Tuesday at 6:15 a.m. It astonishes me every morning that the sun is up before me, when I wake up at 5:20. Still, I'm glad that it is. If the sun weren't up, I don't think I would be able to drag myself out of bed to eat breakfast and make the twenty-five minute drive to the factory.
So far, my job experience has developed in two completely separate areas. The place where I am assigned, Plating, is a lot of fun. We take faucet parts out of boxes, and put them on metal racks. Then, the racks are put on a a machine that dips them into a nickel solution. Electrolysis plates nickel onto the faucet pieces.
The place where I've worked three of the past five working days is totally different. (And, yes, I started on Tuesday, but I worked today, Saturday, as well. That makes five). I'm not entirely sure what this place is called. It might be Polishing, or Coating, or Finishing. Whatever the name, I have been busy putting pieces into large rock-polishing machines, and taking the same pieces out a few minutes to several minutes later. While slightly more repetitive, this job is also fun.
Now, the fun involved in these jobs does not come from the jobs themselves. I would like to share with you something that has totally revolutionized my personal relationship with Jesus. This thing makes all factory jobs fun, sets you free from what other people think about you, and turns on a huge, never-ceasing fountain of joy right in the middle of your chest.
It's called Listening Prayer. Now, that's just a name, a convenient way to handle this 'thing,' this concept. I don't really care what you call it, if it is bringing you to know Jesus better.
I first learned about Listening Prayer from a book called "The Practice of the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence. Now, Listening Prayer is not mentioned throughout the entire book. What Brother Lawrence did was try to practice God's presence at all times. When I first read this book while in Deeper, I did not understand how exactly that worked.
What flipped the switch for me was a newer book entitled "Can You Hear Me?" by Brad Jersak. The book is available from Fresh Wind Press - http://www.freshwindpress.com/. The premise is that God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit is always speaking to us. Not always audibly, but always spiritually. Furthermore, that we do hear Him as He speaks to us.
To us, it makes sense that the more we grow toward God, the more He will speak to us. But, how then can we grow close to Him in the first place, if only at a certain 'level' does He begin to speak to us? And, what is this level? When have you attained it? In God's outrageous grace, He speaks to us all the time, just as he causes the rain to fall on the evil and the good.
To listen to Him, we must first believe that He is speaking, and that we can hear Him. This can seem a little scary, opening ourselves up to listening to someone outside ourselves, especially to One in the spiritual world. But, as Brad writes in his book, remember Jesus. He is strong, He is loving, and He is good. His voice is unlike any other. And His message is always consistent with all that He has already said.
Picture it this way, with an illustration from "Can You Hear Me?" You and a close friend are camping outside in a tent. It is pitch black, and you can't even see your hand in front of your face. You and your buddy are talking together. Outside the tent, however, are several of your enemies. They keep trying to sound like your friend, and cut in on the conversation. They keep lying to you.
Now think about it. Your friend is right there. He can hear all this. He loves you. He won't let these lies and impostors deceive you! Every time, He will tell you if it was Him or not. All you have to do is ask!
That is some background for listening prayer, but not the listening itself. Listening to Jesus involves the imagination. I realize that raises several red flags, again. We have been taught from childhood to live in the real world, not our imaginations. The imagination is where we make things up, not a place where anything serious happens.
I'm not sure that what we have been taught is entirely true. While it is true that we make things up with our imagination, I don't believe that our imagination is to blame. The imagination is, so to speak, a projection screen. You might think of the large, drop-down screens being installed in many of our churches today. The imagination is where we can 'see' things happening. But the 'screen' doesn't determine what is played upon it. The projector does.
If we ourselves act as the projector, then the screen of the imagination is only going to show what we decide. This, then, is where the limitations on imagination come from. We record our own movies, and then watch them play out in our imagination. But what if Jesus is the projector? Would not our perfect Savior show us only what is good, and true, and noble, and right?
This, then, is the core of listening prayer. Using our imaginations to meet with Jesus, the person. Using our imaginations to realize our relationship with Him.
For some, it's easier to first try with eyes closed, while others find it easier to listen in prayer with eyes open. Look and see what Jesus is wearing. For me, He is usually wearing the white robe and blue sash shown in Standard Publishing's depictions of Jesus. And that's fine. For you, He may be wearing jeans and a t-shirt. That also is fine. The point is spending time with Him, not his outfit.
Next, look up at His face. What expression is He wearing as He looks at you? Along with whatever other expression, you know that there will be love. He will never tell you something opposed to His word, because He does not change. He will never make you feel bad, or ashamed. If you're not sure it's really Him, just ask! He, our strong Lord, will always be right by your side, answering you.
Open your eyes, and look around. Where is Jesus? Is He sitting in one of the chairs by the table? Is he up on a tree branch? Is He right beside you? Practice finding Him wherever you are. He has promised never to leave. We just have to realize that.
At this point, you might be concerned that you're just making all this up in your head. To a point, you are. Remember, Jesus is working with your imagination. But the question to ask is not, "Am I just making this up?" That introduces doubt. Doubt in God is one of the primary weapons of Satan. Eve was tempted to doubt that God had her best interests in mind. James tells us that he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think that he will receive anything he asks for in prayer.
So don't doubt. The question is not, "Is this just my imagination?" Rather, the question should be, "Is this true? Is this You, Jesus?" Whether it is your imagination or not doesn't really matter. All that matters in life is what is true; what is Jesus. The one way to know what is true, and what is truly Him, is to know what He is like. Only through reading and knowing the Bible will you be able to hear Jesus clearly.
Listening prayer doesn't lead you away from the Bible and into your own little world. Rather, listening prayer (like all parts of the pursuit of Jesus) loops right back into His Word. What He says will always be consistent, both with the Bible, and with the messages that other people are hearing from Him.
There is a whole lot more that I will write about in the following Joeletters. But, for now, look around. Where is Jesus? What is He saying to me? How do I need to respond?
This is the thing makes all factory jobs fun, that sets you free from what other people think about you, and that turns on a huge fountain of joy right in the middle of your chest. It's hearing and seeing Jesus in a relationship. "And the things of earth / will grow strangely dim / in the light of His glory and grace."
If you have any questions before the next Joeletter, just let me know. I would highly recommend obtaining a copy of Brad Jersak's book, "Can You Hear Me?" for yourself and to share. I have not yet found a Christian bookstore that sells it, but the website is http://www.freshwindpress.com/. They also sell a children's story/picturebook version, appropriately entitled, "Children, can you hear me?" This beautifully illustrated book captures the heart and the message of listening to Jesus, our best friend. It's never to early, or too late, to start listening to Jesus. It might even be easier to understand than the adult version!
I have thought some more about writing of all that happened in Taize and afterward. Unless one of you really, really wants to know, I'm just not gonna write about it. It's over, done, and gone, and I'm living in the now.
In His Time,
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