The Daily Hours

It has been a while since I blogged. That is because my schedule has been rather hectic (and that is being polite!). Because my life has been so chaotic I have been thinking more and more about how much I treasure the quiet times I spend with God. Our Mission has been studying the New Monastic movement lately and I believe I am being tested to see whether or not I will make time to be more in touch with God.

All of us face almost impossible schedules and live lives inundated by noise and information. But as we are confronted by these distractions God is whispering to us with His still, small voice saying, "Be still and know that I am God." Are we too busy to listen? To ignore God is to risk spiritual and physical peril. God wants to spend time with us, not only for His sake, but for ours as well. We need to remember that God is the God of the Sabbath. The Sabbath, according to Jesus, was created for us so that we can recharge both spiritually and physically.

I have opted to seek God more and more throughout the day. I have always observed the Morning and Evening offices of prayer, but I have recently been trying to pray the Divine Hours throughout the day. I have made it a priority to pray throughout the day according to the ancient monastic tradition of praying the hours of the Church. I carry a missal with me and pray at noon, at compline, at the midnight hour, etc. These five minute interludes throughout the day have helped me stay to focused on what is truly important in my life, my relationship with God.

As I seek to follow the voice of God I have become more intentional in my prayer and Bible reading. The monks lived lives of work, prayer, and study. Their lives were, and are, disciplined and centered upon these ancient practices. I have made the decision to follow these practices in the midst of my chaos to bring order, peace, and power back into my life through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to do the same. Take time to listen to God. He always takes time to listen to you!