By Iain Sutherland
It has been exciting to serve the growing network of LHOP’s across Scotland with training days being held over the last year in places as a far afield as Dunfermline, Inverness, Peterhead, and Greenock. These days drawing participants from as far north as Orkney, far south as Hawick, as far east as Haddington and west as Mallaig. Interest is arising from the Western Isles, Dumfries and beyond. May His wildfire, a revival fire, blaze once again across Scotland!
This photo was taken by my son John when we visited Orkney last year and is a peaceful image of stillness, not always the case in Orkney, but a place that reminded me of precious times of silence, solitude and sabbath at the family croft in Caithness.
Recently I have been moved to explore Scazzero’s conclusions of a ‘rule of life’ which brings spiritual health, wholeness and maturity. The Rule of Life he describes echoes much of the usual life and rhythm of Ffald y Brenin, and therefore by extension, our Local Houses of Prayer. In particular I found his call to Simplicity, Silence and Solitude speaking powerfully into the current national ‘lockdown’.
Silence and Solitude
The power of sitting in the stillness of the presence of God, alone, but not alone. Sensing His presence and the weighty peace as He draws near as we open ourselves to what God night say to us. However, words may not be needed as we wait upon Him to draw near as we draw near to Him.
Simplicity
I am often reminded how often I allow life to become complex and cluttered, and I am not alone in this activity. We often make life overcomplicated, whether from good intentions to serve or being carried along with the world’s pursuit of fulfilment in busy-ness. Jesus teaches us to ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all that we need will be added (Matt 6 vs 33)- such is His focus and invitation to follow Him simply.
“May God give you - and me- the courage, the wisdom, the strength always to hold the kingdom of God as the number one priority of our lives. To do so is to live in simplicity.”
May we in our Local Houses of Prayer, however we make them work in this season of isolation, be reminded of the beauty of simplicity as we pray together that His kingdom comes in power into our communities even in the midst of this unprecedented season.