micahemerson.ca

All things good, beautiful and true.

Tag: christianity

  • Awakening

    Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead,
    and Christ will shine on you.

    – Ephesians 5:14

    Preamble: Recently, God called my family and I into a season of transition. A season culminating in our departure from Crosspoint Church, the local church where we served for over a decade. Then, the Lord led us join an amazing community of Jesus followers at Beulah Alliance Church. We said yes to being a part of new work of God in the southeast of Edmonton. The following story comes from the early days of this movement.

    We walked out my friends back door and up a grassy berm along the Whitemud. The highway was like a rushing river with thousands of people passing by everyday. Neighbours walked their dogs down a narrow path. From the high ground we walked, talked and looked to the south. Mill Woods, a city within a city. A hundred thousand people and forty-two language groups. Single family homes lined the parameter, with affordable housing the further you moved into Millbourne Center. The middle of Mill Woods is alive with activity. From the local grocery store, grade school, Mosque and Gurdwara. Newcomers from around the world live, worship, work, learn and play.

    We headed south and prayed. As we went, there was an apple tree. It’s branches hung low, heavy with fruit. Many of the apples dotted the grass below. It was clear that this tree was ready for the picking. The Spirit stirred within me, in the same way, Mill Woods continues and is increasingly ready for the Gospel.

    A hundred years ago passionate followers of Jesus packed up their lives and crossed oceans to reach the nations. Today, many people from the nations have immigrated to North America. They are right here in our backyard, our neighbors and co-workers. These people come from groups and places where they rarely hear the name of Jesus. They almost never hear the Gospel.

    In Mill Woods, the nations are on our doorstep. Let’s ask ourselves some guiding questions. How will they call on Him who they have not believed? How will they know what they have not heard? And how will they hear if we do not tell them?

    Here is what we know do know: Jesus sought out and sat with lost people. He entered there towns, their houses and their worlds. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. The marginalized and searching. The disillusioned and poor. The ones who had messed up and those who were desperate for hope, peace, purpose and meaning.

    A hundred years ago, Beulah Alliance Church has been focused on reaching people far from God. Today, in this new expression, that continues to be true. I believe that God has prepared Mill Woods to hear the good news of Jesus. He has organized the time, place and a people for this work. And he has laid the groundwork. softened hearts and prepared Mill Woods to be Awakened to King Jesus and new life.

    I believe God is calling us to the lost and the least in southeast Edmonton. We are waking up to Jesus, being renewed and revived to new life. Now, we are praying and preparing for what God is doing next in Mill Woods.

    To learn more about what God is doing in Mill Woods visit beulah.ca/millwoods

  • New Ground

    A Ministry Update in the Life of the Emersons

    Change is a constant part of life.

    Now, I am not the kind of person to bounce around. I shirk at the thought of ladder climbing and platform building (it’s ironic, I know). My primary ministry motivator has always been pleasing God and loving people. So, when God leads our family somewhere, we set up to stay. I plan to stay until closing time. The last to leave. So, I set up shop and buy my funeral plot.

    But life is full of change. We follow where the Lord leads, lay our best plans and see what happens. Then, we try to hold them loosely and surrender them if Jesus leads us somewhere else. It’s easier said than done.

    A couple years ago we started to notice a shifting in our hearts. We didn’t think it meant we were going anywhere, but we were expecting change. We didn’t feel released, nor did we desire to do something different, but our eyes were wider and more aware to something bigger than ourselves and our day to day lives.

    So, after a challenging season, hard decisions, bittersweet goodbyes, some retrospect and the words of a new friend – we could finally see what the Lord had been doing.

    He was disrupting the ground, where He called us to and that we had so firmly planted ourselves in. He was disturbing the roots that we had set so deep down. Shaking and moving the things we dearly loved. Preparing us for what was next. Whatever that was.

    At the same time, unbeknownst to us, He was preparing new ground. A new place to set down roots and fall in love with new people. And to be part of a new thing He was doing in a place of need and opportunity.

    So, this summer, as a family we made a difficult decision, and I resigned my position as Assistant Pastor at the Crosspoint Church after over a decade of precious memories and meaningful ministry. They were some of the best years of our lives.

    And now, in the time in between, we prepare for what’s next. Reaching the lost and the least in the Southeast of Edmonton. Joining an brilliant team of Jesus followers. Serving the amazing people of Beulah Alliance Church and loving our neighbours in the Millwoods area.

    I believe that the Lord is increasing our faith, and calling us to a harvest in Southeast Edmonton. He is awakening the spiritually dead, walking among the living, to life in Christ through the good news of Jesus, and we can’t wait to see what God will do.

    Over the next year we will be preparing a peculiar people, called to this particular work, for this specific time. A community we already believe God has gone ahead of us to prepare to reach lost people he loves. If that’s you, I would love to chat.

    What is the Lord inviting you into? Would you join Him in his redemptive mission in the world, right here in Edmonton?

  • When the Journey is too much

    A reflection on despair and the God who meets us there

    “The journey is too much for you.” — 1 Kings 19:7

    Have you ever wanted to give up?

    Elijah did.

    After one of the greatest spiritual victories in the Bible, calling down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel, Elijah found himself under a broom tree in the wilderness, exhausted and praying to die. It’s a sobering turn. Just one chapter earlier he was bold, confident, and victorious. Now, he’s alone, afraid, and undone.

    And maybe, if we’re honest, we can relate.

    Real People, Real Pain

    Elijah isn’t a Bible character out of reach. He’s a real person with real problems. Just like us. Despite his faithfulness and bold obedience, Elijah found himself in a dark place. He believed he had failed. That the mission was over. That he was all alone.

    But what happens next is deeply human—and deeply divine.

    God meets him there.

    Not with shame. Not with punishment. But with presence, provision, and a plan.

    God meets us in three movements:

    God Revives You

    Before Elijah could get back on his feet, God sent an angel to minister to his body. Not his spirit. His body. The angel didn’t preach. He brought food and water. Twice. Elijah was exhausted, and God knew it.

    Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap and have a snack. Our bodies and souls are deeply connected, and when one is suffering, the other often follows.

    We live in a culture that divides the spiritual from the physical. But Scripture doesn’t. A.B. Simpson once wrote,

    “The Redeemer appears among men with both hands stretched out to our misery and need.”

    Jesus Himself felt hunger. He needed rest. And He shows us that being human means honoring both body and soul.

    If you’re in despair, start here: rest. Eat well. Be gracious and kind to yourself. Step outside. Care for your physical self as an act of faith. And maybe, you just might meet God in your next nap.

    God Pursues You

    Elijah traveled to Mount Horeb—the mountain of God. He found a cave. And in that cave, God asked a question:
    “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

    It wasn’t because God didn’t know. It was because Elijah needed to say it out loud. Twice Elijah spills his soul: “I’ve done everything right, but I’m washed up, alone. and they’re trying to kill me.”

    And God listens.

    No lecture. No rebuke. Just presence.

    Then something unexpected happens. A windstorm breaks the mountain. Then an earthquake. Then fire. But God wasn’t in any of it.

    Then—a whisper.

    And in that whisper, Elijah knew: God is with me.

    The God of the universe met Elijah in his pain and listened. He enters the mouth of the cave. He sits in the pit with us. And He gently whispers.

    Where do you need to hear God’s whisper?

    God Restores You

    After all this, after food, sleep, travel, and whispers, God gives Elijah a renewed purpose. He sends him back, not because Elijah was strong enough, but because God had gone before him.

    He wasn’t alone after all. There were 7,000 others still faithful in Israel. God had already lined up the next leaders—Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha. Elijah thought everything was lost. God knew everything was in place.

    Here’s the truth: your despair doesn’t disqualify you. It’s not the end of your story. The journey is too much for you—but it’s not too much for God.

    You were never meant to carry it alone.

    The Meeting That Changes Everything

    Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, once wrote:

    “Life is not primarily a quest for pleasure…or for power…but a quest for meaning… we give our suffering meaning in how we respond to it.”

    What if the meaning of your suffering isn’t in trying harder, but in meeting the God who enters it with you? Who suffers with you and for you?

    Elijah’s story tells us this: God revives us, pursues us, and restores us. He meets us in our deepest pain not with platitudes but with presence. Not with shame but with sustenance. Not with distance or shame, but with a whisper.

    So—have you ever wanted to give up?

    God will meet you in your despair.

    A blessing for the weary:

    May the God who made you—body and soul—revive your strength.
    May He meet you in the stillness and whisper your name.
    And may He restore you to walk with Him once more.

    Meet with God in your pain with this practice.

  • Jordan

    Jordan


    I touched the water,
    cool and restless beneath my hand.


    Wading the eastern shore,
    I felt the current resist me,
    but You called me upstream,
    into waters I feared to cross.

    You carved a path where none had been,
    turned depths into dry ground.
    I removed my sandals,
    laid down what I once carried.
    I stepped in.


    The river rose.
    And I did not drown,
    I am new,
    swept into another land.

    You touched the water,
    and the river caught fire.

  • Harvest

    Jesus invites all His followers to join in his redemptive mission in the world. So what is God’s mission, and how do we participate in it?

    The Mission Starts With Jesus

    35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

    Matthew 9v35-38

    Matthew 9 gives us a window into Jesus’ heart and ministry. He went from village to village, teaching in synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and affliction. When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion—they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

    This moment gives us a glimpse of the mission: to bring the good news to those desperate for hope. But it’s not just about telling people something—it’s about showing them. As John Wimber once said, “The kingdom is about doing just as much as teaching.”

    But before we dig deep, let’s define terms.

    Gospel, Kingdom, Mission: What Are We Really Talking About?

    Let’s clarify the language:

    • Gospel: The good news that Jesus has come, and through faith in Him, we can enter His Kingdom here and now.
    • Kingdom: God’s rule breaking into the world—where healing, restoration, and peace replace brokenness and chaos.
    • Mission: God’s ongoing work to redeem, reconcile, and renew all creation—and our invitation to join Him in it.

    Being on mission means we live as people of the Kingdom, proclaiming and demonstrating the good news in everyday life—whether it’s in the grocery store, a school hallway, or over coffee with a neighbor. This is how Jesus approaches mission.

    Jesus’ Method: Proclaim AND Demonstrate

    Jesus didn’t just preach about the Kingdom; He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and cast out demons. He made the Kingdom tangible. It was something you could see, hear, and even taste.

    As believers, our calling is to follow His lead. That means Gospel Proclamation—speaking the hope of Jesus—and Gospel Demonstration—embodying that hope through love, service, and healing. It’s the marriage of word and deed that brings the Kingdom to life around us. But how does this scale? How does it become a movement that reaches the world?

    The Model: Discipleship in Action

    When Jesus saw the need, He didn’t just keep going. He turned to His disciples and said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

    And then—He sent them.

    Jesus’ model is simple:
    “I do, you watch. We talk. Then I send, you do. We talk again.”

    It’s discipleship in action. Jesus was never building a fan club—He was raising a movement of people empowered to live like Him and bring His Kingdom to the world.

    What About Today?

    The mission hasn’t changed.

    People in our communities are still spiritually exhausted and confused. They’re searching for healing, for truth, for something real. And like Jesus’ day, the need is right in our backyard.

    We don’t need to hop on a plane to live on mission. We just need to open our eyes to the fields around us. What we do need is something to change in us.

    The Heart: Compassion That Moves Us

    The final piece—perhaps the most vital—is Jesus’ heart.

    Verse 36 says, “He had compassion for them.” That Greek word implies a gut-wrenching, visceral response. Jesus was moved to act because their pain became His.

    And if we’re going to join Jesus in His mission, we need more than strategy—we need His heart. Without compassion, our plans stall. But when our hearts break for what breaks His, we become unstoppable in love.

    So, What Now?

    Maybe you’re reading this and realizing your heart has grown cold or apathetic. That’s okay. The good news? It’s never too late to be rekindled.

    Start with this prayer:
    “Lord, send out laborers into your harvest—and make me one of them.”

    Then, take a practical step. Write down the names of three people in your life who don’t yet know Jesus. Start praying for them every day—by name, by situation, by heart.

    Let God soften your heart again. Let Him move you with compassion. Let His mission become yours.

    You Are Sent

    You are the people of God, called by Him into His redemptive mission in the world.

    So step into the harvest.

    Let your words proclaim.
    Let your life demonstrate.
    Let your heart reflect His.

    The harvest is ready. Are you?

  • Embrace These Things

    Your house is on fire.

    Smoke billows through the hallways and assaults your senses. As you and your loved ones run to safety, what do you grab? Can you manage to hold on to anything? Is it safe to cling to any thing so closely? You make a split second decision, and with super-human strength, carry your loved ones out onto the front lawn. You cling to each-other as you watch it all burn down.

    The truth is, our lives will face calamity. Things will catch fire. What do we hold on to? What will we embrace? In the life of a disciple, what do we really need.

    In the Gospel of Luke , Jesus sends out the twelve and instructs them to:

    “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.  If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”  Luke 9v3-5

    Why does Jesus do this? Why does being one of Jesus’ sent ones seem like the life of a vagabond? Isn’t it important to have a walking stick, a bag with some snacks, a extra shirt and some emergency cash? It’s like Jesus is sending us to the world, wholly unprepared. 

    Maybe so, but wait, let’s back up a bit. When Jesus called the twelve together He gave:

    “power and authority to drive out all demons  and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Luke 9v1-2

    The truth is, at certain times in our journey, our lives are going to be on fire. The walls will be crumbling around us. Seasons of change, suffering and poverty will come and pass. People will not always welcome us with open arms and supply us with all that we need. We may not have shoes for the journey or bread for our bag. We may experience spiritual starvation. Dark nights of the soul in the valley. It’s not a matter of if it will happen, only when. These times will come. So, what will we cling to?

    Embrace these things:

    • Access.
    • Authority.
    • Power.
    • Purpose. 

    We may not have a staff, but we have power and authority given to us from and in Jesus’ name. We may not have bread, but we can cast out demons, cure disease and heal the sick because He gave. And now that we freely have received, we can freely give. We are sent to proclaim the Kingdom of God. It frees and sustains all who come into contact with it. The keys have been given to us, and that very access to our Lord Jesus will always be enough. Embrace this whole-heartedly. He gave us everything we need for the journey.

    Today’s disciple has everything they need. I believe that. Would you join me on the journey?

  • Becoming people of Faith and Action

    The lungs don’t wait for the air to enter their fine bronchial branches. They gasp and claw for it. Our brains don’t even register these desperate acts of the autonomic nervous system in the human body. After all, you breathe or die. The heart responds to the brain with a laser-stream of freshly oxidized blood or it seizes and dies. It pumps what is without, within, and so the cardiac cycle continues. No fear, no conflicted feelings or self-consciousness and doubt. If there is, something is wrong and we are in mortal danger.

    What is in the heart doesn’t hide there long. What’s broken, what it beats for, will not be hidden. A sick heart will be found out.

    There’s no hiding obvious problems and forced functions. It’s a problem for the body, and for the church. That’s why many millennial’s are leaving the modern church. Human behavior is the greatest hermeneutic for the gospel in their eyes. Deception, hypocrisy, and hearts that don’t act upon there beliefs are ultimately driving them out in droves. Why? Because the biblical narrative shows people acting on their faith. There’s a whole book in the new testament about it.

    Let’s consider the activity of the apostles. Found in the books of Acts. The apostles and the other followers of Jesus:

    “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2v42

    and

    “They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.”                         Acts 2v45-46

    Peter said,

     “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Acts 3v6

    …and on and on and on it continues. They acted. The BIG elephant trampling around the young-adult section of each church worship space is this;

    If we live and breath the good news of Jesus, why aren’t we desperate to act upon it? Why isn’t it instinct?

    That’s a great question. And though some young people may want to skim over the theoretical and jump into action, which means we need to leave these holy huddles, talk to, and care for our neighbors, wait a minute.

    I’m sure there is wisdom in being cautious. We cannot overgeneralize and assume what all young people want, but we do know what they can get everywhere else besides the Church. What makes the Christian body different? I think we can venture one thing, they’re looking for more. Something real and natural. And with that, I encourage you, don’t skip the deep work, my friends. If we do, we may find our reach a mile wide, but one inch deep. Our influence little and our effectiveness small.

    We might find a generation of people who are more passionate about a mission than the one who sent them – Jesus.

    It’s quite the pickle. Most millennials are predisposed to see only hypocrisy in the world. But is action alone the antidote to hypocrisy? It’s easy to quote the book of James and say; “faith without works is dead”, but James does not avoid the deep work required of those who are fully devoted to following Jesus. He begins by asking us to endure trial and temptation. To listen and then to, 

    “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” James 1v21

    and he does this before He encourages us to act. That’s some deep work that produces real faith. Maybe, we need to grow AND act. Perhaps we’re really called to both, and real faith and action depend on each other intimately. They react to each-other instinctually. Like the body and the lungs. Like the head and the heart.

    Often, I have found the things that irritate us about the world, like hypocrisy, are found in ourselves. That’s humbling. In the same way it must have been like for the disciples when the followed Jesus during His time on earth. But I am encouraged when I call to mind the journey of these young men who followed Him.  Peter, John, Andrew, Thomas….With each step, they grew in a deeper knowledge of Jesus, who He was and what that meant. With each measure of depth came a level of trust. And it is Trust that you can act upon. Like you can lean on a committed spouse who has shown up for you; Every. Single. Time.

    We grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus, the more we spend time with Him and can be found chewing on His words. And the deeper we go the more we must act. The more we act, the greater our trust in Him.

    Test, your relationship with Jesus and you will find it to be True. Act upon the deeper things your learning about Him and people will notice it’s true too.

  • Remember the Gospel

    We all have them. Memories. The turning points. The images that project in our head in black and white or sepia-gold. A branching point. The moment everything changed, and we wondered if we could ever be the same again. 

    Fast forward a handful of years. That memory reel is a little fuzzy now. Once, we encountered Jesus and the power of the Gospel, but now we’re struggling to string together everything that happened after that. A whirlwind of academia, romance, career, children, loss and heartbreak. Finally we touch down and we’re not in Kansas anymore. Everything is strange, fuzzy and foreign. Where’s the path we started on? Where did we lose our way?

    In the crime drama, “Memento”, the fictitious character, “Leonard” struggles with the clouded memory of his wife’s vicious assault, as a result of an injury to the head. His short-term memory loss erases each previous day. So, he starts each day anew. Leonard agonizes over the investigation of the murder of his wife and finding the man responsible. 

    His cheap motel room is littered with polaroids. These reminders resemble his fractured memory. His arms have since been permanently inked with forget-me-nots. Every day he enters the mid-day sun after a careful review of what he knows to be true. As Leonard comes closer to discovering his wife’s killer, he must piece together the mystery each and every day.

    Is that the experience of today’s disciple? Do we suffer from gospel amnesia? 

    Lately, this tiny verse has been rolling around my mind:

    “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits”

    Psalm 103v2

    It became pretty clear to me how often we forget God. Forget the authority of Jesus in our lives. How often our hearts harden and shut themselves up. Worst of all, how we forget the benefits of the Gospel and our relationship with Jesus.

    It’s not so simple to just know God and enjoy Him forever. Why? Sin. 

    Sin bewitches our hearts like amnesia fogs up the mind. It gets into the very center of who we are. What is obscured in the head can become the habit of our hearts. It steals our joy, twists our desires, distorts our emotions and most of all pushes out the Truth.

    So how do we resist evil, keep our hearts soft, stay in awe of Jesus and enjoy what the Holy Spirit began in us that precious day when we first believed? It is my argument that a major discipline of today’s follower of Jesus is commemoration. Remember the cross, where Jesus was broken and bleeding, for you. Remember He was DECIMATED for us and that He OBLITERATED sin and death. Once and for all. Remember that He did it because He loves you. And remember that, above all He wants your heart.

    So meditate on His words, feast on the Truth found in the biblical story, chew on it day and night. Push out all distractions.  Paste His praise and benefits on your walls, sharpie them on your arms, but most of all -make these precious memories the centerpiece of your heart. 

    Forgetfulness is the insidious weapon in the hands of the enemy of your soul. Remind yourself of the Gospel, daily.

    Remember. Remember. Remember

    Grace & Peace

    M

  • Getting to know the Holy Spirit

    There’s something stirring within, a gentle knocking on the door of our hearts. I believe it’s the Holy Spirit inviting us into a deeper relationship.

    If you’ve ever felt like God was distant, or like you’re going through the motions of faith without experiencing His presence, then this is for you. It’s time to reintroduce ourselves to the Holy Spirit—the divine Helper who was sent to be with us always.

    Who is the Holy Spirit?

    At the church where I serve, we are unapologetically Trinitarian. That means we believe in one God who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is fully God, yet distinct, and they work in perfect unity.

    Often, we speak about God the Father and Jesus the Son, but what about the Holy Spirit? Jesus himself promised that the Holy Spirit would be sent to us after His ascension (Acts 1:5), not just to visit, but to dwell within us, guiding, teaching, and empowering us.

    So why do so many believers neglect or ignore Him?

    Learned Helplessness—A Lesson from Lobsters

    Believe it or not, we can learn something about ourselves from lobsters.1

    In their natural habitat, lobsters are in constant competition for food and shelter. When two lobsters fight, the winner is flooded with serotonin—the “feel-good” chemical—while the loser experiences a depressive reaction, making it more likely to lose future battles. Over time, the defeated lobster stops trying, settling for a life on the fringes – isolated and alone.

    This is called learned helplessness—and it’s something we experience too. After enough struggles, disappointments, and losses, we begin to expect failure. We stop striving for more, settling for a passive rather than an active personal faith.

    But here’s the good news: Jesus never meant for us to be helpless.

    The Promise of a Helper

    Jesus told His disciples:

    “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

    John 14v16-17

    Jesus promised that even though He was physically leaving, He would send another Helper—the Holy Spirit—to be with us. This means we are never truly alone.

    The Greek word for “Helper” here is Parakletos, which can also be translated as Comforter, Advocate, or Counselor. But at its core, it means one who comes alongside. The Holy Spirit walks with us, teaching, guiding, and empowering us for the life God has called us to live.

    How the Holy Spirit Works in Our Lives

    1. Illumination – The Holy Spirit helps us understand Scripture and brings God’s truth to mind exactly when we need it (John 14:26). Ever had a verse pop into your head at just the right moment? Or you suddenly understand something in scripture in a new and meaningful way? That’s the Spirit at work.
    2. Witness – The Holy Spirit testifies to the reality of Jesus, strengthening our faith when we doubt (John 15:26). If your faith feels dry, ask the Spirit to refresh your heart and reveal Jesus to you in a new way.
    3. Guidance – The Holy Spirit leads us into truth, convicting us of sin and showing us the path of righteousness (John 16:13). In a world full of confusion, we have a divine Guide who never leads us astray.

    Sensitivity and Obedience

    To fully experience the Holy Spirit’s presence, we must be sensitive to Him. Paul warns in Ephesians 4v30 not to grieve the Holy Spirit through bitterness, anger, or unkindness. Like a dove, the Spirit is gentle and easily disturbed by the sin in our lives.

    We must also be obedient. Walking with the Spirit isn’t about trying harder; it’s about yielding to His leading (Gal 5v16). Just like learning to ride a bike, it takes trust and practice. At first, it feels unnatural, but as we follow His voice, we begin to move in step with Him.

    A Challenge for the Week

    Here’s my challenge to you: Each morning when you wake up, simply say, “Hello, Holy Spirit. What do you want to do today?”

    Invite Him into your day, your conversations, and your decisions. When you do, you’ll begin to experience a faith that is alive, dynamic, and filled with His power.

    The Holy Spirit isn’t a distant force—He is God, living in you. Let’s welcome Him back into our lives today.

    Come, Holy Spirit.

    Grace and Peace

    M

    1. this example is adapted from Jordan Petersen’s 12 Rules for Life ↩︎

  • Meeting with God in Silence and Solitude

    In our fast-paced, noisy world, it can be hard to find time to slow down and be still. Yet, when we look at the life of Jesus, we see that silence and solitude were central to His relationship with God. If we want to follow in His footsteps, we must learn to embrace the quiet—to make space for God in the stillness.

    The Pursuit of God

    At the local church where I serve, we define pursuit as this:

    “Pursuit is when a disciple seeks to know Christ personally above all things. They seek Him through personal spiritual practices like Bible reading and prayer. They also seek Him publicly through worship with the body of Christ.”

    Simply put, pursuit is about wanting to know Jesus more than anything. And we do this with two approaches:

    • Practices of Abstinence – When we step away from distractions to focus on God.
    • Practices of Engagement – When we actively seek Him through community, worship, service and mission.

    One of the most powerful ways to pursue God is through silence and solitude—something Jesus practiced regularly.

    Jesus and the Wilderness

    Before Jesus began His public ministry, He withdrew into the wilderness for forty days (Luke 4:1-13). He wasn’t running away from responsibility—He was preparing Himself spiritually. During that time, He faced three temptations from the devil. On the surface, it seems that the evil one just wants Jesus to prove his divinity. In one sense that’s true, however, in a other sense Jesus faces a struggle that runs much deeper and that we all face. Henri Nouwen said the Jesus face three significant challenges:

    1. The temptation of instant gratification – “Turn these stones to bread.”
    2. The temptation to be powerful – “I will give you all the kingdoms.”
    3. The temptation to be spectacular – “Throw yourself down and let the angels catch you.”

    Jesus resisted these temptations because He had already filled Himself with something greater—God’s presence.

    What if Jesus’ ability to resist temptation wasn’t a coincidence?

    What if His time alone with God prepared Him for the trials ahead?

    Why Silence and Solitude Matters

    Throughout His life, Jesus made time to be alone with the Father:

    • After healing many, “Jesus departed and went into a desolate place” (Luke 4:42).
    • Before choosing His disciples, “He went out to the mountain to pray” (Luke 6:12).
    • Before His arrest, “He withdrew… and prayed” (Luke 22:39-41).

    If Jesus, the Son of God, needed silence and solitude, how much more do we?

    Solitude as Opportunity

    Silence and solitude aren’t about escaping the world—they’re about encountering God.

    Henri Nouwen describes true solitude as removing our “scaffolding”—the things we use to distract and protect ourselves. No phones, no meetings, no noise—just us and God. But silence is uncomfortable, isn’t it?

    We live in a world that avoids silence at all costs. We keep the TV on, scroll social media, and fill every moment with noise. Why? Because in the silence, we come face-to-face with ourselves—and with God. Yet, it’s in this quiet space that transformation happens.

    In The Way of the Heart, Henri Nouwen writes:

    “Solitude is the furnace of transformation. Without solitude, we remain victims of our society and continue to be entangled in the illusions of the false self. Jesus Himself entered into this furnace. There He was tempted with the three compulsions of the world: to be relevant (‘turn stones into bread’), to be spectacular (‘throw yourself down’), and to be powerful (‘I will give you all the kingdoms’). There He affirmed God as the only source of His identity. Solitude is the place of great struggle and great encounter—the struggle against the compulsions of the false self and the encounter with the loving God who offers Himself as the substance of the new self.”

    This is why Jesus withdrew—again and again. Not to escape, but to be filled.

    Silence as Discipline

    Pursuing God in silence takes discipline. It will be inconvenient, countercultural, and even awkward at first. But if we keep at it, we’ll find that silence isn’t empty—it’s full of God’s presence.

    Jesus didn’t just teach His disciples how to pray—He showed them how to be silent before the Father.

    And in that silence, we find:

    1. Communion – The deep, soul-refreshing connection with God.
    2. Transformation – The space where God confronts our hearts and renews our minds.

    How to Start

    If you’re new to the practice of silence and solitude, here’s how to begin:

    1. Start small. Try 10 minutes of silence each day.
    2. Find a quiet place. A room, a park, or even your car.
    3. Be still. Resist the urge to check your phone or fill the silence.
    4. Pray simply. Say, “Lord, help me be still.”
    5. Listen. Let God speak in the quiet.

    A Word to the Wise

    Embrace the Season

    Silence and Solitude can be something to avoid or hard won. When you are young you have great potential to steal away with God, unattached from family and responsibilities. However youth also comes with the greatest risk. You can squander the opportunity you have and completely avoid God altogether.

    When you marry, embark on a difficult journey, have kids, start a career or whatever it might be, you will find it increasingly difficult to find that silent place where you can be alone.

    It’s important that we be honest about the season your’e in, and the capacity you have. Name it, adjust your expectations and be kind to yourself. Remember, time with God isn’t necessarily about quantity, even though all of life is lived before Him- it’s about quality. Quality time with God is the goal. Make whatever you can count.

    Be Ruthless, not Reckless

    It’s important to remember that while silence and solitude is a worthy pursuit, we should be mindful of the potential for collateral damage. Be ruthless in finding the time and space, not reckless. The pursuit of time with God should not come at the expense of your relationships and responsibilities. So, it’s going to take creativity, flexibility, and discipline.

    It Starts with a Choice

    When you begin, spending time along in silence before God won’t be thrilling. It might seem like nothing is happening and nobody is speaking. Just you with swirling thoughts filling your head. However, in time, you will notice the difference it makes when you have made the time for God and when you have not. Then, it is a well your return to time and again. Then, it’s not a choice, you need it. It fulfills the deepest desire of our souls – community with God.

    Reengage

    We don’t always need a reason to spend time with God. Like a friend, it’s worth being with them if you don’t accomplish anything. However, God created you with a purpose and wants to empower you for life with Him. It important, then, that our doing flows from our being with Him. To do that, we need to return from the quiet place and participate in community with others. In the body of Christ, and our neighbourhood.

    A Challenge for You

    Imagine what your life would look like if you were regularly preoccupied with God—if your thoughts were shaped more by time in His presence than by the noise of the world.

    Jesus invites us to come away with Him (Mark 6:31).

    Will you accept His invitation?

    M