“Nos fecisti ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te.”
These words were spoken by the great church father, Augustine of Hippo. As I am not versed in Latin, I’ll rely on the translation that I found:
“Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord,
and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”
I have a restless heart. It can be idolatrous and conniving. It can be easily led astray. Although my heart is learning what it means to rest in God alone, I am keenly aware that too often my heart is full of anxiety and worry – the opposite of peace and rest. To my great shame, I am like Elisha’s servant when he saw the army of Syria and cried out to his master: “What will we do?!” My first impulse is to come up with my own rescue plan – and the pressure can be immense.
Elisha, calmly and confidently saw what no one else saw – the protection and provision of the Lord. “He (Elisha) replied (to his servant), ‘Don’t be afraid, for our side outnumbers them.’ Then Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes so he can see.’ The Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw that the hill was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. As they approached him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, ‘Strike these people with blindness.” The Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha requested.’” (II Kinds 6.15-17)
I want to live like this. I want to see the protection and provision of the Lord all about me – even when it is not physically in view. A.W. Tozer, pastor and writer wrote about the possibility that as believers we can actually do this! He wrote:
“The Bible assumes as a self-evident fact that men can know God with at least the same degree of immediacy as they know any other person or thing that comes within the field of their experience. The same terms are used to express the knowledge of God as are used to express knowledge of physical things. `O taste and see that the Lord is good.’ [Ps 34.8] `All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces.’ [Ps 45.8] `My sheep hear my voice.’ [Jn 10.27] `Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ [Mt 5.8] These are but four of countless such passages from the Word of God. And more important than any proof text is the fact that the whole import of the Scripture is toward this belief.”
Have you ever wondered if it is possible to experience God with this kind of immediacy? Perhaps you have experienced God this way. If so, you know the incredible impact it has on your soul when you realize that indeed God exists and He is at work all around you. Prayer becomes more than just a monologue; it is a spiritual and conversational way of life. Bible reading is more than just understanding words on a page; it is the God of the universe revealing Himself and His ways to you. Silence and solitude are more than just spiritual exercises to be checked off a list; they are holy moments bathed with God’s presence. I am not talking about new age mysticism here (although I am sure there will be those who will accuse me of that). I am talking about a part of the Christian’s makeup that must be able to dynamically experience God. Tozer wrote:
“What can all this mean except that we have in our hearts organs by means of which we can know God as certainly as we know material things through our familiar five senses? We apprehend the physical world by exercising the faculties given us for the purpose, and we possess spiritual faculties by means of which we can know God and the spiritual world if we will obey the Spirit’s urge and begin to use them.”
The Apostle Peter, writing to Christians who were living as “resident aliens” scattered throughout what was then known as Asia Minor, commends them in their faith by noticing:
“Though you have not seen him, you love him.
Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice
with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory”
I Peter 1.8
These brothers and sisters had never seen Jesus Christ. Peter had – they hadn’t. But they loved Him. They believed in Him. And they rejoiced with joy that was inexpressible and glory filled. They had an experience of Jesus Christ that transformed them and controlled them. I want that too. I want to see the Sentinel Court all around me and know that those with me are greater than those against me. I want my restless heart to truly rest in the God who made me, who loves me, and who saved me. This blog is nothing more than one disciple’s flawed journey to find his rest in God.
Sentinel Court 