Quiet Places

Have you ever noticed how noisy the world that we live in is? 

 

It seems that there is always some noise around us.  With TV, ipods, radios, computers, cd players, it seems that we have noise everywhere and at all times.  In fact, many of us feel uncomfortable if there is no noise.  Can you drive in your car without some noise from your radio?  Can you be in your house without the TV on?  Can you sleep without some noise from the TV or some sort of “white” noise?  It’s true, quiet places can be un-nerving.  I’m convinced that we keep our lives cluttered with noise to avoid deeper thought and introspection. 

 

If you find yourself in a quiet place, what do you find yourself thinking about?  Are you thinking about your job and the deadlines you have coming?  Are thinking about your kids and their daunting schedule for the upcoming week?  Are you thinking about your favorite sports team and how they might fare in their next game?  I think that where our minds go in the rare “quiet places”, is evidence of what is most important to us.

 

Christ gave us several examples of our need for “quiet”. 

 

Matthew 6:6  “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. “

 

Matthew 14:22-23 “22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.”

 

Mark 1:35  “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

 

Mark 6:31  “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

 

Psalm 119:114  “You're my place of quiet retreat; I wait for your Word to renew me.”

 

Luke 5:16  “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

 

Luke 6:12  “At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God.”

 

This week as you go about your routine of life, leave the radio off, leave the tv muted and keep the ear buds in your pocket.  Dedicate the “quiet times” to prayer and conversation with God.  I am thinking that He will bless your dedication of this time with answered prayer, new revelations and a peace that you have not experience in some time.  Carve out time to be “quiet times” and dedicate those times to digging deeper into God’s word and to communicating with an awesome God that allows us to come boldly to him as a friend. 

 

Weed out the mind numbing noise and see what God has to say to you today!

 

We leave for Uganda in less than 4 weeks.  I have been asked to relist the items that would be helpful for people to donate and for us to take with us on May 24^th.  Here is the list:

1.)           Good used iPhones – These can be used by pastors to communicate with their congregation and organize events when they do not have computers.  These devices are quite expensive in Uganda.  Please let me know if you can donate a “retired” iPhone that is still in good shape.

2.)           Lap tops – If you have a used lap top that is still in good shape or if you feel that you could buy a new lap top to send with us, it would be a great blessing.  Computers and electronics are quite a bit more expensive in Uganda than they are here.  If we can take them and leave them, it would be a great gift to local pastors and health care units.

3.)           Donations to fill plastic trunks with medications.  On average, a trunk of medicine costs $250.  We have 20-25 days of clinic scheduled for this summer.  We go through a lot of medicine.  We never charge for medication and we see 200+ patients per day.  Medications are available in Uganda and it is cheaper to take the money and buy them there, rather than trying to ship the medications over.  Please let me know if you, your family, your small group or Sunday school class might like to sponsor a trunk.

4.)           Donations for reading glasses.  We have seen remarkable responses from older Ugandans when they are fitted for reading glasses.  Some of them have not been able to read for years, and suddenly are able to study their bible.  These are cheaper to buy in the US and take with us.  Please let me know if you might be able to help us with this part of our ministry.

5.)           Money for Bibles – We have found that the best way to get bibles is to buy them in Uganda.  There are many different tribal languages, and we have found that if we give away bibles in the local language, the village people are able to read and study them more immediately.  We have started to work with a Ugandan bible group to see if they can develop a bible that will have the text in the local language and in English side by side.  This allows the recipient to study their bible and to help them learn English.  English is the Ugandan national language, but it is used in a limited amount in rural areas.  We really do take our bibles for granted.  This is one of the greatest gifts we can give that lasts, even after we have come back to the US.

Also, if anyone would want to stay at my house and take care of my farm animals (feeding pigs and chickens) while we are gone, please contact me.  dueunto@gmail.com

 

Preparing for “Due Season”,

 

Jay