Mark 9:2-8
In this passage Peter, James and John are on the mountain with Jesus when he is transformed before them and they see him with Moses and Elijah. It says that Peter did not know what to say, but he opened his mouth and said something anyway. He said, let's just stay here. Let me build us shelters and remain here in this bliss. Sometimes when I approach my prayer time I feel like Peter. I don't know what to say, what I should pray about. But like old Peter, I just press on anyway. It occured to me that perhaps those are the times when I should just sit quietly before the Lord and let him speak to me. That is exactly what he did there. He said, "This is my beloved son. Listen to him". Sometimes God wants me to just sit down, shut up and let him talk to me. It is o.k. when we don't know what to pray for or how to pray. That is why we have the Holy Spirit who prays for us. Being quiet is very hard for me as I am sure it is for most pastors. We think that we should always have something to say. We'll preach or teach at the drop of a hat. But, unless we can learn to be quiet and listen for God's voice, what we say will be of us and not of Him. Pray for me that as your pastor I can cultivate the spiritual discipline of silence.
