Steve Macchia

It’s already mid-August. How can it be that summer 2024 is nearing its end? I don’t mean to be a downer about it, but my soul is craving the beginning of summer all over again.

I had all sorts of godly aspirations for this summer. Unfortunately they mostly got eaten up by a fuller than preferred schedule. Ruth and I were able to break away to celebrate our 45th anniversary and we’ve spent time in some gorgeous locations, but my rhythms haven’t been what I had hoped or planned.

Thankfully, it’s not too late to take some time to care for my soul…and perhaps you will want to do the same. Here are a few ideas to consider:

1. Take a half or full day to “retreat” from the fray and nurture your soul in God’s Word, prayer, and in his beautiful creation
2. Choose a book to read slowly over the next few weeks. I recently read the biography of Oswald Chambers and purposed to read it slowly, savoring the story and reflecting on the life behind “My Utmost for His Highest” and it was deeply moving
3. Start or add to your journal an original poem or sonnet about your life with God and your longings for his lovingkindness. Everyone can write a poem (it doesn’t have to be perfect), and it will stretch your creativity too.

There’s still time to consider new or revised spiritual practices that will enhance your daily walk with God. Summer’s not over yet!

As you look at your calendar and prioritize your heart, soul, mind, and strength, keep your eyes on the Good Shepherd as he leads you beside quiet waters and restores your soul.

The “one another” passages in the New Testament are my favorite way of defining the textures and contours of spiritual community. The phrase comes from the Greek word allelon which means “one another, each other, mutually, or reciprocally.” Each time it’s used as an imperative command and the basis for true Christian community.

Love one another is the most frequently referenced (16 times). But the biblical use of one another includes nearly 60 other commands for how we are to relate to one another in community. For example: be devoted to one another, honor one another above yourselves, live in harmony with one another, build up on another, serve one another, bear one another’s burdens, be kind and compassionate to one another, submit to one another, teach, comfort, encourage, exhort, pray for, and show hospitality to one another.

However, as I’ve pondered the one another’s over the years, what’s notably absent from the list is “listen to one another.” Why would that not be included? It’s one of my many questions for God, given the essential nature of listening in every meaningful relationship.

The Scriptures do tell us how to speak to one another: with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord…yielding to each other as you would to Christ (Eph. 5: 19-21). And there are certainly references to listening within passages such as “let each of you look not to his own interests, but also to the interests of others; do nothing from rivalry/selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Phil. 2:3,4) Additionally, Jesus commands us, “Consider carefully how you listen” (Luke 8:18) and “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 11:15). But no specific “listen to one another” command.

One of the best parallels to “listen to one another” is found in the book of James. “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, 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. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.” (James 1: 19-25)

Listening to one another is needed today in the body of Christ. Frankly, we simply don’t know how to listen. Why is that the case? Because listening implies proactive consideration and concern for relationship, as expressed in empathy, compassion, and mutual understanding.

Consider the conflicts in our culture and unfortunately in the church today. How much genuine listening is going on? Little to none. Instead, we hurl insults, opinions, interpretations, and unfounded assumptions as missiles directed to the soul and character of the person(s) involved. Lord, have mercy upon us.

I’ve often said, “without intentional with-ness we simply don’t have an integrated witness” – and with-ness requires presence and presence is only fully expressed when we look in each other’s eyes, honor one another as a beloved child of God, and truly hear one another’s words and the heart those words represent.

When is the last time you were truly, fully, and genuinely listened to…and, when is the last time you offered loving presence and a genuine desire to listen to another?

It’s time we learn how best to honor, hear, and hold one another’s words prayerfully (not disregardingly), reflectively (not defensively), and lovingly (not destructively). And, it’s time we avoid all manner of gossip, slander, falsehood, bitterness, rage, and anger. Instead, let love be our guide in all of our relationships with one another in the body of Christ.

Listen to one another. It’s one of the best ways to love one another. Our Christian witness depends upon it.

Henri Nouwen once wrote, “The discipline of the Christian disciple is not to master anything, but rather to be mastered by the Spirit. True Christian discipline is the human effort to create the space in which the Spirit of Christ can transform us into his image.” (The Selfless Way of Christ, p. 70)

I couldn’t agree more. In fact, I would say “creating space for God” is the #1 spiritual discipline.  Without spaciousness we won’t fully receive all that God delights to deliver to us in the Scriptures, the beauty of creation, the joy of meaningful work, the delight of serving the needs of others, and the gift of friendship and community.

In this day of perpetual distraction, constant noise, unending activity, and interminable demands on our time, finding space for God alone feels nigh to impossible. We spend the vast majority of our waking moments in pursuit of lesser gods and their accompanying godless attachments. They may not appear at first blush to be damning for our souls, but in fact they become blatant hindrances to the vitality of our walk with God when they continuously supplant our much needed spaciousness with God. And, therefore, must be removed and more properly realigned around our priority for an intimate walk with God.

That’s why it’s “the human effort to create the space in which the Spirit of Christ can transform us into his image.” It’s effort. A discipline. One with great rewards.

Creating space for God opens us up to his renewing, restoring, and redeeming work in our souls. Without such space we will run ourselves ragged amidst the cacophony of sounds and endless activities that will preoccupy our hearts and keep us from a deep abiding in Jesus.

In the midst of a full day of ministry, Jesus invites his closest disciples to “come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6: 31) So they “went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” A boat! What a great idea, Jesus! On a boat they were away from the crowds, it was quieter on the water, and the disciples could restfully attend to Jesus’ comforting words of love and the fellowship of their shared journey of faith.

Why a boat? Because the Lord wanted to give his friends a rest for their bodies, minds, and souls. And, his desire for his apprentices was for a deeper rest and trust. His invitation was to create and delight in the spaciousness of their moments together…

• Unhindered by the clamoring demands of our world which lead us to be unhinged and separated from God
• Uncluttered and free from doing, wanting, and having, and instead in pursuit of simply “being” a child of God
• Unhurried and restful, with heightened attentiveness to seeing and being seen, hearing and being heard

On the heels of this time alone, they were fit for service from a rested and renewed space. As a result, they were invited into a significant task: to feed the five thousand. They did so with reclaimed affection for Christ and fervor for serving others in his name.

How spacious is your life today, dear friend? Consider how to declutter in order to find genuine rest for your souls. You’ll be glad you did.

Wondering

The word “wonder” has a twofold meaning…the verb wonder, as in curiosity, “I wonder what that really means” and it’s opposite, doubt, “I wonder if that marriage will last.” Secondly, the noun wonder, which is more like awe, “noticing the sunrise with the wonder or joy of a child.”

Regardless, wondering – both curiosity and awe – stand front and center in the season of Advent.

We wonder with curiosity about the first coming of Jesus. The prophecies that foretold his coming. The actual setting, the characters, time period, and chronology of events. We wonder how Mary is doing in her final days of pregnancy. We wonder about Joseph’s efforts to keep her comfortable. We wonder about the inn keeper who only had a manger available for the Christ child. We wonder at the poignancy of the entire story.

We also wonder with awe at the magnanimous and miraculous nature of the Nativity. We wonder about God’s fulfillment of his generations-long promises to send a Messiah, just as he did…by the work of the Spirit, through the Virgin Mary, in a humble manger and a simple town, quietly and graciously, surrounded by angels and shepherds on a starlit night.

We are bursting with anticipation as our own Advent wonderings are themselves pregnant with significance for our lives today. We wonder about the Incarnation. We wonder about the second coming of Christ. We wonder about his coming into our hearts and lives and penetrating the deepest recesses of our souls today.

What are you wondering about as you prepare for Christmas? What will the final days of Advent be for you and yours? Note: the 4th Sunday of Advent in 2023 is also Christmas Eve!

Perhaps like the monastic communities of old, you too may wish to wonder at the meaning of the long-awaited Messiah as prayerfully considered in the O Antiphons (Old Testament foretelling of Jesus)…found in the great Advent hymn, O Come, O Come, Immanuel. The text is provided here for your prayerful wonderment.

O come, O come, Immanuel,
And random captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel.

O come, O wisdom from on high,
Who ordered all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show
And teach is in its ways to go. Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times did give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain

O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
Unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
And give them victory o’er the grave. Refrain

O come, O Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
And bar the way to death’s abode. Refrain

O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
And bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
And turn our darkness into light. Refrain

O come, O King of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
And be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain

Watching

We watch television. Social media. Sports games. Musical performances. Political debates. All relatively passive experiences.

What about our active watchfulness?

We watch for our loved ones to arrive safely at the door. We watch the oven for the meal to be perfect. We watch our children struggle to learn. We watch our team members work amiably together.

On the lookout, we watch as we wait. Our eyes are peeled with anticipation on what’s about to occur. We choose to watch with hope. Like a loving parent, spouse, or child would eagerly watch for us.

Advent is a season of watchfulness. Both passive and active watching.

We know the full story of the Incarnation, but we eagerly watch for the story to unfold once more. The main characters are in place. The setting is defined. The promises are about to be fulfilled. One more time.

For generations, the watchfulness of God’s people was fed by the prophetic proclamations. Be alert. Stay awake. Be constant in your vigilence. God keeps his word. His promises are trustworthy. Keep watch.

The time has come for the Messiah to be born. Timing known only by God and soon to be revealed to all who have been faithful in their watching and waiting.

Unto us a child will be born. Unto us a son will be given, and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

Keep watch. By faith. Find joy. God is on his way to the humble manger and our hearts are filled with glad tidings.

Emmanuel. God with us. Then. Now. Forever.

The gift of watchfulness. One more time.

Waiting

Who among us likes to wait?

Every time I’m confronted with the need to wait I tend more toward impatience. Perhaps you can relate.

In the waiting room for the doctor or dentist. I fidget with my phone or grab a magazine to peruse.

At the grocery store. I prefer the fastest line.

In the four-way intersection. My car matters most.

I’ve yet to meet a person who likes to wait.

If I ever do meet such a person I will want to know their secret. Why do they like to wait? How do they do it?

God is very comfortable waiting. 40 days or 40 years or even a generation or perhaps even longer.

God speaks and his truth emerges. In his time. Mysteriously and miraculously.

However.

We read the Bible and we forget the span of time.

We pray and want his answer. Now. Sooner than later.

We reflect and worship and even there we are searching for the instant blessing.

Wait.

It’s weighty to wait.

When we learn to wait we practice patience and we discover hope. To wait patiently is to hope.

Tis the season of waiting. Advent.

Prophetic utterances spoken for generations coming true in Jesus. The long-awaited Messiah.

Let’s wait like Isaiah. Like Mary. Like Joseph. Like the shepherds. Like the wise men of old.

He will come again once more. His entry into our world and into your heart is worth the wait.

Together we will wait for his coming again. For the final time.

Waiting. It’s good for your soul. Try it and see.