Into the Silence

For more than three years I have developed certain habits of
the heart that I believe are critical for me as a Christian believ-
er who does academic biblical and theological research. It has
been important to me to grow in faith as well in stature as a
scholar.

Along with my own devotional time and involvment in the life
and ministry of a local church, I have made a habit of Morning
Prayer during the weekdays and the Thursday night Compline
service. I have participated in these ever since my first term
started way back in September, 2003. More recently I have
been enriched by Evening Prayer during the weekdays.

Each time of prayer takes place in an ancient and historic
church or chapel, but I always sense a fresh breath of the
Spirit. Day by day, week by week, I and various numbers of
companions seek the Lord by means of praise, prayer, saying
the Psalms, hearing Scripture, sometimes singing and hearing
the Scriptures sung, and silence. All this satisfies my unquench-
able hunger for God.

I can't get enough, so I always go back for more, day by day,
week by week, and even year by year. I have enjoyed my stud-
ies so much, but the various times of prayer have been the high-
point of my time here in St. Andrews. The times of prayer and
praise give a sense of order and structure to my day as well as
my life. Over the past three years, I sensed the slow but steady
effect of hearing the Word and praying to the Word in shaping
and molding my life. More like the steady drip of water than
a cascading torrent of water, the Word has changed me in ways
I do not always sense.

Where I sense this the most is at Compline, each Thursday
night at 10pm in an ancient medieval chapel. Through praise,
prayers, Psalms, thanksgiving, and Scripture we are able to
cry out to God and experience God's deliverance. It all ends
with two minutes of glorious silence, and then we leave in
silence. It is such blessedness to me. I yearn for and desire
such times of rich and hearty silence.

As I am on the eve of my surgery, I realize that I am eager
for it because I am going into the silence, a rather long, deep,
yet rich silence. I really can't wait. The past three years have
been shaped quite profoundly by Morning and Evening Prayers
and Compline. As a result, my heart is eager for the silence. Each
of the prayer services have times of silence built into them. So
my heart has been prepared for entering the silence.

What excites me is that my surgery is scheduled for Thursday,
a full day of Morning and Evening Prayer and Compline. My
heart has been shaped by the rhythm of Thursdays for over
three years now. At Morning Prayer, I should just be entering
surgery; during Evening Prayer, I should be out of surgery;
and during Compline and its final two minutes of silence, I
should be out of the surgery ordeal and entering into my own
time of silence. Pray for me, that I may enjoy a peaceful, rest-
ful, restorative, and redemptive period of silence, that I may
encounter our Lord, even in the silence.

Shalom, Jeff