December 2019

Merry Christmas

I am writing this from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia which is always my last trip of the year. It is such a wonderful way to finish my travel and be reminded with the Psalmist that,

As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight (Psa 16:3).

As we approach this time of the year, we cannot help but be thinking about Christmas and, for those of us “down under”, normally spending part of our summer break away from work and the normalities of life.

This brings me to ask you all a question.

When was the last time you enjoyed meaningful time alone with God? A time so good that you didn’t want to leave. It was just you, reading God’s words, praying and enjoying His holy presence, quietly in awe of what He just said or revealed to you.

Like most of you, my life has a lot of demands. Things to do, deadlines to meet, places to be and people to catch up with. The truth is that I love my life and most of the work I am called to do. I find it brings a degree of excitement and stimulation to it. I never know what the next engagement is going to bring and how each day is going to work out.

But, after forty years now of walking with the Lord, I still find that the best way for me to start my day is with Him. I wake up seeking His face, looking for His presence in my life and wanting His guidance for the things that I have before me. I hunger for His Word and for His assurance that I am serving Him, rather than just hoping He will serve me as I go about my day.

I am not convinced that those of us who are leaders have done well in teaching people how to be alone with God. When is the last time you heard someone rave about their time alone with Jesus in his Word?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes in Life Together:

Alone you stood before God when God called you. Alone you had to obey God’s voice. Alone you had to take up your cross, struggle and pray, and alone you will die and give an account to God. You cannot avoid yourself, for it is precisely God who has called you out. If you do not want to be alone, you are rejecting Christ’s call to you, and you can have no part in the community of those who are called.

We have a God who says to us,

My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8–9)

I want to know the thoughts of God. I want to gather with people who have been reading God’s Word, people who have prayed and interacted with him. I want to fellowship with those who fellowship with God and rejoice in what they have to share about Him.

I love books, great sermons and articles and during the course of a year I attend many conferences. I really believe in all these things and am grateful for what they have built into my life and the lives of those around me. But sometimes I wonder if all the great books and sermons about Jesus have actually kept people from directly interacting with him.

We live in a time when most people have a difficult time concentrating on anything. We are constantly looking for the quick fix and for faster solutions. The thought of sitting quietly to meditate on Scripture and praying deeply in silence can easily be replaced by listening to a sermon while driving to work. While it’s definitely better than nothing, the point I am making is that there is no substitute for being alone with God. We must learn to be still again.

The apostle Paul loved being with Jesus. Knowing Christ deeply consumed him (Philippians 3:8). There is no substitute for being alone with God. If you don’t have time, you need to quit something to make room for it. What plans could we possibly have in any given day that would cause us to race past our Creator to get to them?

So, as we approach the wonderful time of Christmas and all that comes with it, I encourage you to use some the time you have to get alone with God on a regular basis and see what He would have for you. See what He thinks about your life, priorities and schedule. Most of all – learn something new about Him. Paul proclaims,

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! (Romans 11:3).

And as the holiday time draws to a close, keep the habit going. He is always available and never too busy for us – we need to be the same for Him.

May God bless you and yours as you enter the festive seasons. All that is left is for us at SRT to wish you a blessed Christmas, and New Year. Stay safe.

God bless you,

Bruce Billington