Pastor Adam Herndon
My soul thirsts for God, the living God. Psalms 42:2 (ESV)
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)
The Contemplative tradition seeks to find fulfillment for the longing that is in every human soul, a longing that can only be filled by God. Augustine confessed, “You have made us only for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.”* We can try to fulfill our desires, but unless they’re fulfilled in God, we will remain unsatisfied. The contemplative life is one thirsty for the living God. Are you thirsty?
Practicing the Contemplative Tradition:
- A prayer saturated life. To “pray without ceasing” is to be aware of and in communion with God’s Spirit constantly in your day, and to daily find a prayer closet to spend time alone with the Lord.
- Set aside time for Bible reading and praying scripture. Find a passage of scripture that speaks to your spirit and pray it. Read it many times and let God fill your soul.
{Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. (Ps. 86:1-7)}
* Os Guinness. Long Journey Home (Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook, 2001), 191.
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