Country Done Come to Town! July 16, 2008

New Friends! They don’t talk much!

My wife and I are celebrating our 15 year wedding anniversary in San Jose, California. She is attending a continuing education conference for her work. They are paying for her expenses and are letting me stay in this massive hotel with my wife – FREE! While she was at the conference, I walked down to get breakfast. I saw a nice area where they were serving breakfast outside. The starbucks coffee cups caught my eye. I thought it was unusually quiet as I got in line. I noticed the first item was oatmeal, then raisins, and bananas. Then they had 3 milks: cow, soy, and really gross looking. Then I noticed dehydrated apples, a bowl of honey, and the good stuff. To my dismay I discovered it wasn’t starbucks coffee, but just starbucks cups! They were serving hot water with dried apples and honey?! I asked one of the ladies with my noticeable country accent, “Maam, do you know where the coffee is?” She just smiled at me. I walk away puzzled and glance at the approx. 200 people wearing very odd clothes, sitting at the tables, eating their oatmeal, raisins, banana, drinking their gross milk, and hot water with dried apples and honey. Not one of them were talking! So I sit down among them eating oatmeal, raisins, and banana.

It didn’t take long to figure out that they weren’t being rude. In fact, they were being generous by allowing me to eat with them. It was a private breakfast and I unknowingly slipped in past security with suits and ear pieces. Their was a world famous yoga master meditator there and these people were eating with him and practicing meditation. When I found out later what happened I thought, if I hang out with them I could complete a course in meditation and mediation within a month’s time frame.

I noticed that there were several people of the hindu faith at this conference. I thought, “Why can’t Christians experience the power of meditation?” Joshua 1:8 commands “Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth but meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.”

My commitment to reflecting and meditating on God’s Word has been revived by my new friends. At first I was frustrated with the silence, but then I began being refreshed by it. As I sat, I reflected on one of my favorite books, “The way of The Heart” by Henry Nouen. He opened my eyes to the numerous scriptural calls to be still and silent before an awesome God. If you want to know more about a Christian’s view of meditation I would strongly recommend this book. However, please don’t feel you need to read it to enjoy being still before God. Just try it. I would love to know how it goes.

You ever noticed how the Psalms repeatedly call us to notice the greatness of God? May you enjoy being still before God.