July 2023
The following is a possible framework for the Witnessing of the Word. It can be personalised or altered: its purpose is to serve as an example of how this Saying might be used primarily in the context of a Prayer Group, but it may be used by individuals too.
It is not intended to be definitive. In the context of a group: the periods of silence should be appropriate for your group - probably not less than 5 minutes, or more than 15 minutes.
Saying for the month: ‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’. Haggai 2:5 (NIV).
To begin the exercise, first spend a short while in relaxation and preparing to be still; you may want to relax your way through your muscles, or you may find it helpful to become aware of the sounds around you and then put them aside as you offer this time of prayer to God. Say this introductory invitation to prayer, then keep a further minute or two of silence: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11.28).
Introduction to the first silence - a preparation for listening with the mind:
‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’.
Our saying for July comes from the short book of the prophet Haggai. God has been working quietly behind the scenes so that Cyrus allows the repatriation of the Hebrews, under the leadership of King Jehoiachin’s grandson, Zerubabbel. This is a group of returnees, possibly traumatised by their exile in Babylon, and yet they make an enthusiastic start on rebuilding the temple that the Babylonians had destroyed. However, apathy sets in and there is opposition; this rebuilding work comes to a standstill.
It is at this point that Haggai emerges, on his three-and-a-half-month mission. He brings a focused message. His task is to get God’s people back at work. The Temple needs their attention, it needs to be repaired and rebuilt.
Our saying, ‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’, comes from the encouragement section of Haggai’s message. In the Old Testament, we frequently find that the promise of God’s presence is reassuring and encouraging. Moses’ faltering confidence is met with God’s assurance that ‘I’ll be with you’ and, as the Message translation of the Bible brings it so vividly to life: ‘I’ll be right there with you’ (Exodus 3:12, 4:12, MSG). Joshua’s commissioning to cross the river into the land that was promised is also accompanied by the promise of divine presence: ‘I’ll be with you… God, your God is with you every step you take’ (Joshua 1:5,9. MSG). As David urges his son Solomon to build the original Temple, we also find the promise of God’s presence: ‘God, my God, is with you in this; he won’t walk off and leave you in the lurch. He’s at your side until every last detail is completed …’ (1 Chronicles 28:20. MSG).
So too, these discouraged, worn-out Hebrews are assured that God will join them in this building work. It is God’s work, and He will be with them; they can depend on Him and His presence to help them get going again and finish the rebuilding work: ‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’.
This is God’s promise and covenant with His people. God’s presence is guaranteed in Haggai 2: verse 5. Our saying from that verse reinforces this and is a reminder about relying on the Holy Spirit. God’s spirit will empower and enable the Hebrews (and us) for the task ahead.
We, like the Hebrews may be starting from a place of discouragement and find it hard to imagine quite how a glorious Temple can be rebuilt. Indeed, we also may never reach the glorious beauty of God’s initial Temple. Things may be different and not as splendid. Nevertheless, we press on. Worship will continue. God accompanies us by His spirit in the work He has called us to. It’s not in our own frail strength or in our own limited power that we trust. Rather it is by his Spirit (Zechariah 4:6) that we may make progress on the task.
We take this Saying into our minds, allowing the saying to speak to us: ‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’.
A time is now kept for silence of the mind – perhaps between 5 and 15 minutes. The silence concludes with a short thanksgiving, and/or feel free to repeat the Saying. The first silence ends with the words: Father, we thank you for the gift of your Word.
Introduction to the second silence - a
preparation for listening with the heart:
‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’.
As we take our saying into our hearts and allow it to speak in us, we might just pause and consider the second aspect of ‘Do not fear.’ And, as so beautifully expressed in the Message translation: ‘Don’t be timid. Don’t hold back’. We remember that our whole saying brings two aspects together. We rest on the reassurance of the promise of God’s presence and his Holy Spirit equipping us.
‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’ or
‘I’m living and breathing among you right now. Don’t be timid. Don’t hold back’. (MSG).
Time and again these two aspects are brought together when God encourages his people. Solomon is encouraged to ‘Take heart! Don’t be anxious or get discouraged.’ (1 Chronicles 28:20. MSG). Joshua is urged, ‘Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged’.
It is perhaps so very human to get overwhelmed and discouraged when we see the size of the task or when we look ahead at what needs doing. God seems here to understand this. Of course, we find that Jesus also offers such empathy and understanding, for example: ‘Courage, it’s me, don’t be afraid’ when he comes alongside his struggling disciples as they battle the wind and waves in Mark 6:50 (MSG).
‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’.
As we take this word into our hearts and allow it to speak in us, to let it touch us and let it work more deeply upon our lives, let us pause and consider, as Haggai encouraged the Hebrews to do, whether there are any priorities in our lives that need re-alignment. Have we have let things slip in some areas? Did we start enthusiastically with a plan or intention and then get discouraged? Have we become closed in on ourselves and our own priorities? Maybe this is an opportunity to look up instead of inwards, and remember God’s promise of His presence and the enabling of His spirit.
‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’
Is it possible that I am so absorbed in my own projects that God’s project lies unfinished or even in ruins and I’m rather scared about making a new start on that?
Perhaps we can take heart in Haggai’s message. Yes, the Hebrews are currently floundering. They started well but now they are distracted, focused on their own priorities, their Temple rebuild is at a standstill. Yet just fourteen verses later, as they have committed to the repairing and rebuilding work, they move from floundering to flourishing. God’s restorative presence is obvious in the newly restored Temple although their reinvigoration seems to be broader than this. God’s blessing and presence is at work in their fields also. The vines, fig trees, pomegranates and olive trees have flourished and from now on they can count on a blessing (Haggai 2:19).
As we ponder and reflect, perhaps we also can hold on to this movement from floundering to flourishing as our saying takes its place in our hearts and challenges our fears and our priorities?
‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’.
A time is now kept for silence of the heart – perhaps between 5 and 15 minutes. The second silence ends with the words: Father, we thank you that your Word is alive and within us.
Introduction to the time of intercession – taking God’s word outwards into the world.
‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’.
As we apply our Will in the work of contemplative prayer, please say the name of a person or a group of people or an issue, and after a short pause, repeat the saying.
For example:
‘Alison and your family … ‘My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear’.
As we allow the Word to speak through us, we might direct this word towards areas where it seems more obvious that there are competing priorities, where God’s projects or concerns have been left idly by, lying in ruins, as folk are consumed with their own priorities.
We might think too about people, situations and matters where the encouragement (and challenge) of God’s presence is needed as reassurance and a stimulus to work on what matters most.
There is much fear and anxiety in our world. Let us think about which neighbourhoods, areas or nations need to hear the encouragement to take heart and not fear.
Conclude this time of intercession with words of thanksgiving: Father, we thank you that your Word has gone out through us to those for whom we pray.
The Conclusion
Feel free to use the Fellowship Prayer (below) or another closing prayer to conclude your time of contemplative prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father, we thank you for all your unsearchable riches which pour forth from you as light from the sun, in boundless profusion and generosity, whether received, ignored or rejected. And now we offer to you, in so far as we are able, as an emptiness to be filled with your divine fullness, ourselves, our souls and bodies; all that we are, all that we have and all that we do. Amen.
You may wish to say the Grace together
before departing.