Good Morning…
Another benefit of being the first awake on a mountain retreat is the joy of choosing one mug from the many. I picked mine in a groggy state – picked one with words – that’s about all I noticed. And its size – it was the biggest of the bunch – more coffee sips to savor.
As my eyes adjusted and I enjoyed my second cozy cup, I noticed the words I had not read earlier: “Hummingbirds are an image of perpetual motion. When you do see one still, it is a bit of a shock. Like us, being still can seem unnatural. Here one sits, still, suspended by God. It’s in that stillness that God grows our souls and quiets our hearts.” I turned the mug around to see the image of a hummingbird resting on a suspended branch, with the name of artist David Arms etched in the right corner. BE STILL AND KNOW were the bold letters beautifully backgrounding the bird.
This meaningful mug reminds me of a quote we discussed in class this week: “Because Christian meditation…is rooted in Scripture…it differs drastically from meditation and contemplation as they are often practiced in other world religions. While Eastern religions in particular use meditation to empty their minds, especially from suffering, Christian meditation invites us to still our minds so that they can be filled with Spirit-drenched words, ideas, and images.” (Jan Johnson’s When the Soul Listens, 60-61)
“Still. Fill.” One woman drew our attention to two key words. About prayerful meditation she wisely concluded: “As I still, God fills.”
Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder (Luke 24:4, NLT).
…Sue…
