What Are You Waiting For?

What are you waiting for?

For what purpose do we sit silently with closed eyes & bowed heads? Do we wait for time to pass that we might get to the next thing on our agenda? Do we wait for someone in the room to speak? The prophets of old would step aside to wait for the Word of God to guide them. Jesus himself spent what time He could alone in the quiet to be with God. Jesus told us to learn to recognize His voice. We are told that that voice does not come in wind or fire, but as a still small voice. Is it the strength of the Lord, that peace beyond understanding, for which you wait? 

"I will stand upon my watch, and sit upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. The Lord answered me, and said, write the vision and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."

Habakkuk 2:1-3

Last week, during our combined meeting at Salem, about 18 students from Malone College worshiped with us. The worship seemed to be covered with a Holy covering.

Sounds of Silence

"It is God who works in you, both to will & to do of his good pleasure."Philippians 2:13… "Do this because we live in an important time. It is now time for you to wake up from your sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost finished, and the day is almost here. So we should stop doing things that belong to darkness and take up the weapons used for fighting in the light. Let us live in a right way, like people who belong to the day. We should not have wild parties or get drunk. There should be no sexual sins of any kind, no fighting or jealousy. But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus, and forget about satisfying your sinful self." Romans 13:11-14

Our meetings for worship have been blessed these past few weeks. We gather upstairs, in the southeast room of our meetinghouse. There is an electric  warming heater that gives the room that extra cozy feeling, as the snow & cold prevail outside. Last month we enjoyed a brief visit by interested Friends from Vermont, Meg & Judith. Meg is particularly interested in the worship of Conservative Friends. She raises sheep on her farm in Vermont. It was our special pleasure to meet & fellowship with these Christ lovers from New England.

Today I was reminded of a story Harvey Newlin used to tell us. He was a Conservative Friend in North Carolina. On his way to meeting he would see a neighbor sitting on his front porch. Harvey would invite the man to meeting. The neighbor refused, until one day he told Harvey he would accompany him. So the man sat in the silent meeting with Friends at……. After Meeting Harvey asked the neighbor how he liked meeting. The man replied brusquely, "Didn't like it." Harvey asked what about it he didn't like. The visitor replied, "I thought of every wrong thing I ever done." So, Harvey concluded his story with the comment that he thought the Lord had done some useful work within the visitor.

Our waiting worship may seem more difficult. Each member has responsibility for the life of our worship. How we live & relate to our Heavenly Father each day as well as how we submit to the Holy Spirit during worship is what keeps the lamp burning in our hearts as we worship.

We celebrated the life of our beloved Mary Eva Guindon (Meg) Stanley this past month. She was 86. A recognized overseer, she will be remembered as one of our kindest, most compassionate members, always holding up her faith in Christ Jesus & His way of righteousness.