The Return Home

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. ~ Hebrews 12:11 niv


Last week I was at Holy Cross Monastery in New York.  


This week I am at home.  


I had hoped that the quietness and peacefulness, the serenity of the gently following Hudson would follow me home, but I have found that it is very difficult to transfer the peace of the monastery to your home life.  The differences are vast - and not just the obvious ones...


Don't get me wrong.  I love being at home with my family and for the most part, during the day, it is relatively quiet - with the exception of dogs that bark at the blowing wind and a ferret busy being a thief.  Can I be honest when I say that I could very easily slip into a life as a monk?  Ok...maybe only parts of it.  I loved being able to sit up into the night writing and reading and studying scripture, listening to the bell toll for services and the hand bell call us in to meals.  And while we are on the subject of food, let me say - I love to drink wine and create a gourmet meal at home - but make no mistake - the monks and guests at Holy Cross eat well...almost too well(is that even possible?).  They have a gourmet chef who studied at a real culinary school and I will just say this...we were not eating slop.  The sheer delight of not knowing what would be on my plate when I arrived at each meal was a true blessing because at home I always make the decisions on what our family eats.  I could go on and on about the differences between home and Holy Cross, but there is really only one that matters.


At Holy Cross, I had no distractions.  I woke to a bell tolling, birds chirping and a gentle breeze blowing  and I fell asleep in complete silence.  Meals were prepared for me and all I had to do was worship, pray, garden, eat, write, read, study and sleep.  There were times I was actually still - completely still - and just listened to God.  The monks chanted psalms which sounded divine to my ears.  After the last service of the evening, silence was in effect until after breakfast the following morning. And I, the infamous promise maker, made a promise to myself that when I returned home, I was going to keep my daily life as simple as possible.


It lasted all of about 5 minutes.


And by Monday - well, that promise I made had already fled like a thief under the cover of night.  Distractions have abounded this week.  Some good and some bad.  I find the ones that really have derailed me this week causing stress have been the ones that have kept me from meeting my writing goals.  It made me think about an e-mail that someone sent me telling me that the devil hated me and that he would do anything to derail my writing because it brings God glory.  I grabbed my journal and began reading my first entry.  It was after Compline on Tuesday evening.  This is the final service of the day and afterwards silence is in effect.  There are specific verses during this service that are chanted on specific days and on Tuesday and Friday it would be ~I Peter 5:8-9a ~ "Be sober, be watchful.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, firm in your faith." 


I remember sitting in this service remembering the e-mail from my friend and making a promise that I would not allow distractions.  None.  I even wrote a prayer to myself and I will share it in a moment...but first I want to say something and I want to be clear...


I am a threat to the devil.  And so are you.  If we weren't, we wouldn't even be a blip on his screen.  


God has asked us as Christians to follow Him and walk in the good works He has given us and when we are doing exactly that, we threaten the devils schemes.  When we allow distractions to derail our daily mission to follow God, we give the devil opportunity to succeed.  I know and can honestly say, I do not ever want to give the devil an opportunity to step into my life at any time.  Not in my daily walk with God.  Not in my marriage.  Not in my family.  Not ever.  Not in any way.  But how crafty he is!  How sly!  How cunning!  How easy it is for him to disrupt my good intentions...but you know what they say about good intentions - the road to hell is paved with them.  And the reason why is our good intentions are never going to be enough when we are living for God.  Our intentions are not His plan.  If we are going to be successful in our daily walk with God, we have to stay focused on the One who matters and that would not be the devil.  He is called the enemy for a reason.  Through the past few years, I have learned how powerful this enemy of ours is, but I have also learned how powerful God is and God has no equal.  God will never be defeated and the devil is fighting a lost battle.  I need that reminder every day when I step out of the bed.  I need it every night before I go to sleep and when I wake up during the wee hours of the morning while darkness hovers.  A few times throughout the day wouldn't be a bad idea either.  It is a reminder that I do not have to have good intentions for anything.  I simply need to be obedient to the One who is ruler over my life.  Obedience does not require any intention on my part, good or otherwise.  It requires discipline to pray the prayer God laid on my heart and trust in God to guide me in His ways to complete His will....


Elizabeth,
you will only be fearful when your faith is small.  Trust in God for you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.  Even so, be sober and be watchful for the devil, a roaring, hungry lion who seeks and wishes to devour you.  But there is hope - you can resist him.  You will resist him.  Be strong in your faith by putting on the Whole Armor of God - so gird your waist with Truth and put on the Breastplate of Righteousness and shod your feet with the Gospel of Peace, but above all, take the Shield of Faith with you always that you may quench the fiery darts of the wicked one.  Take the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.  Pray always with prayer and supplication in the Spirit being watchful to the end with Perseverance.  Always ask believing in the Mighty name of Jesus Christ your Savior and Redeemer. Amen.


I may be the infamous promise maker and breaker, but God is the Promise Keeper.  The Bible is filled with His promises to us.  I know I can stand believing in Him, trusting in Him, on any promise He makes me.  And so can you.