"Would God that every servant of His understood and practiced this blessed art, and that the Church knew how to train its children into some sense of this high and holy privilege, that every believer may and must have his time when he is indeed himself alone with God. Oh, the thought to have God all alone to myself, and to know that God has me all alone to Himself!" --Andrew Murray
"As we learn the way of holy silence -- a silence that expects to encounter and hear God -- we begin finding our spirits in continuous communion with God. This can be true even when life rushes around us... We can be outwardly busy, while inwardly talking and listening to God." --- J. Brent Bill
This February I find myself more than ever seeking out times of quietness and solitude, times to sit alone at the feet of my God, hear His voice and be refreshed in His presence.
I have always been drawn to the Latin phrase solvitur ambulando which translates “it is solved by walking.” I envision the long, intimate walks God took with Adam and Eve in the garden, the glorious walks and talks He must have had with Abraham, Moses, David, Paul and Jesus and I am in great awe and humbled that He still wishes to walk in intimacy with you and me. It is in these quiet times I find myself growing closer to the heart of God and hearing His voice.
In this age of technology, with Televisions, Ipods, Cell Phones, Computers, we have filled our lives with so much noise almost to the point that we have forgotten how to stand before God in Holy Silence. Or maybe it’s we are just afraid of silence because in the silence we are stripped of our masks and forced to take a long look into the mirror of our soul laid bare before God. Maybe we surround ourselves with a constant barrage of noise because in the silence we are afraid of what we may hear. Whatever the reason God, as he often did with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is calling us into a place of solitude, a quiet place where as Andrew Murray said God has us all alone to Himself.
As is it wise to look to the wisdom of those who came before us in pursuing any such endeavor, so it is when pursuing a path or time of solitude and quietness. Because Christ Himself made solitude such an important part of His daily rhythm of life and it is He I would truly wish to emulate I find it helpful to look upon His rituals, customs and beliefs. Since Jesus was a devout Jew as well as a rabbi I can imagine Him slipping of to a quiet place, saying a blessing as He lifts His prayer shawl, then holding it over His head for brief moment of reflection before draping it over His head and shoulders to commune with God just as had been done for thousands of years before. On the four corners of the prayer shawl are long fringes, known in Hebrew as the tsitsit. On the tsitsit is a combination of strands and knots equalling to 613 which reminds one that he is always surrounded by the commandments of Torah. Also when draped over the head it helps one to concentrate and focus during their time of prayer.
Since very few people could read in our early history most things were passed down orally. It would not have been an uncommon sight to see a young boy sitting alone with a handful of stones, casting them one by one to the ground as he recited his prayers. This tradition carried on throughout the ages with such things as the orthodox prayer rope, prayer beads and chaplets. The beads or knots on the rope help one stay focused on God as well as provide a way to keep track when reciting specific prayers. I myself on occasion just like to hold a small chaplet in my hand when praying, having this physical connection sometimes helps me drown out all other distractions and stay focused on my true purpose, listening for the still small voice of the most Holy.
As I said before, I am drawn to the Latin phrase solvitur ambulando although I sometimes prefer to add cum Deo which changes the phrase to "It is solved by walking with God." Sometimes I walk along my garden path at home, sometimes on the beach and whenever I am able I walk the labyrinth and listen for His voice. The Labyrinth has been around since prehistoric times and has long been perceived as a sacred place. The Romans adapted the ancient labyrinth into an ornamental floor pattern and the Christians in medieval times adapted it once again for use in the cathedrals. The most well known and revered of all medieval cathedral labyrinths can be found at Chartres Cathedral in northern France and was constructed around 1201 AD. The cathedral labyrinth was clearly meant to be a symbol of the Christian path or journey through life. During the medieval times taking ones pilgrimage to Jerusalem to walk in the "footsteps of Christ" became quite dangerous. As an alternative Christians would often walk the labyrinth in the cathedral. Christians of this period would also walk the labyrinth on the eve of their baptism or confirmation and as an aide to prayer during Holy week. After medieval times the use of labyrinth as a spiritual tool was all but forgotten and many were destroyed in later years. In recent years the labyrinth has enjoyed resurgence and many modern pilgrims walk the sacred labyrinth path as one of many tools to enhance prayer, contemplation and spiritual growth.
God is calling us, just as He did our Lord before us, to come away into a quiet place and commune with Him. Whether you choose to make use of a handful of stones, a prayer rope, walk a labyrinth or garden path it matters not, these are but tools to help bring us to a quiet and calming place where we can hear the voice of God, the Important thing is to seek out that place and listen for His voice.
