Snuggle

Snuggle

“I want the privilege of living with him every moment in his house, finding the sweet loveliness of his face, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace. I want to live my life so close to him that he takes pleasure in my every prayer. In his shelter, in the day of trouble, that’s where you’ll find me, for he hides me there in his holiness, He has [snuggled]* me into his secret place, where I am kept safe and secure…” [Psalm 27:4-6]

“When anxiety overwhelms me, Your consolation delights my soul” [Psalm 94:19]

“Delight yourself in the Lord, And He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart” [Psalm 37:4]

Something my friend shared with me recently really struck a cord. She said: “Imagine if Christians took as seriously what Jesus (and the bible) says about money, as they do about sex”. How different would the world be? I don’t know about you but I know all too well the false sense of security and comfort that money in my bank account can give and also the false sense of insecurity and worry that seeing that number dwindle can cause. Where do I find my comfort and peace, when its not in how much money I have? How secure and comfortable I am? My sense of self and well-being, bolstered up by my material possessions and things - beautiful things, good things. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with them, in and of themselves; the issue comes when I look to them for security, comfort and confidence. 

The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby wrote “To point to something solid is deeply, satisfyingly positive. Those who built Liverpool cathedral started it in 1904, and finished in 1978. They were wonderful craftsmen who when they retired, could point to it from almost anywhere in the city of Liverpool and say proudly ‘I built that.’ Parish priests who have worked steadily and well, leading people to faith, serving the poor, loving everyone in the parish, contributing to the lives of the local church and the community, may also spend their lives in that craft (and a great wonderful craft it is). There may not be any tangible change to see, although many lives will have been improved and valued. It is a temptation to say they have done nothing because unlike the reassuring tangibility of buildings, we cannot easily see or measure what they have done. But what is not measurable may be valuable beyond measure. Money shouts very loudly: “look at me, look at me, see what I am doing, see how special I am.” Money draws our gaze away from things that are more worthy of our attention, but have not been given the badge of comparable monetary value. The problem with materialism - this prioritising of the tangible- is not that it exists, but that it dominates. It shouts so loudly that it overrides our caring about other things of greater value.”* This too, reminds me strongly of what my friend shared about money and value.

Looking at your life Beloved, what gives you most joy and happiness? Of the things you value, which are tangible and which are intangible? How balanced is the spread of your attention between them?

In Psalm 27 above, David (the man who wrote it) saw God’s presence as the only valuable thing worth coveting and pursuing and finding safety in, in the day of trouble. The particular translation I have of the psalm where the verse above is found, is titled ‘Fearless Faith: a Psalm of David’. I confess I do not often have fearless faith. So many times I am wave tossed from one worry to another, drowning in an ocean of insecurity, overthinking and over analysing. How did Jesus walk on water? I find comfort in the fact that Peter tried and even he lost focus and found himself as equally wave tossed as I often am. 

In this story found in the gospels Peter, after seeing Jesus on the water, got down out of the boat and walked on the water, intending to come toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, "beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”* So often I wake up and intend to come toward Jesus too, but the day gets away from me. The worries and the tasks piling up on my to do list get in the way. I get out of the boat but my focus shifts: I see the wind and the waves and I am anxious, feeling behind and not quite enough. Why does my soul never remember the goodness of God’s presence and how immediate his desire to save me from myself is? I hear God’s affectionate chuckle ‘Oh Ennette, why do you doubt?’ 

The apostle Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything.”* He follows this by saying instead of worrying, after praying and asking God for help, focus your mind on things that are good or lovely; think continually on these things, center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart because what you focus on grows. Tozer said this of faith: “When we lift our inward eyes to gaze upon God we are sure to meet friendly eyes gazing back at us, for it is written that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout all the earth. The sweet language of experience is "Thou God seest me." When the eyes of the soul looking out meet the eyes of God looking in, heaven has begun right there in that moment, right here on this earth.”*

Every child needs four things in order to thrive: acceptance, focused attention, guidance and protection. Know that all four of these emotional needs are met by God, never doubt that you are His most precious child and most treasured possession.  Practice coming home, embracing God on the sacred space of your mat, practice coming home to your breath. It is the meeting place of the human and the holy, in the space between the inhales and the exhales, I hope you will begin to recognise the peace you seek, the comfort and security we all long for, the confidence and self assurance we all want to have. 

Let us begin to cultivate the unwavering gaze of the soul towards God’s goodness and dependability. Snuggle up and settle into the stillness, “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.” [Isaiah 30:15] 

Beloved the Lord will come through for you, you need only be still.

breath in

Gods goodness : The calm stillness and sweet serenity of God’s comforting presence.

breath out

 any tension and tight fisted desire you to have control and find salvation and comfort in anything other than God’s presence. There is sacred space here on the mat, for you to feel comforted and safe, snuggled up in his glory and grace. 

Enjoy your practice! (it’s 33mins long)

Christian Yoga from my Teacher trainer Rie (honestly: such a dreamy class- I hope you enjoy it!!)

(Christ-)Mindful Tip:

Cobra pose.

“And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” [Genesis 3:15]

“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour, for we are all members of one another. Be angry, yet do not sin. Do not let the sun set upon your anger, and do not give the devil a foothold.” [Ephesians 4:25]

When in this posture maybe think of these passages in the bible and the Eden story. Know that through Christ in you, you have the power to strike the heal of the serpent and that the devil has no right to a foothold in your life.  Anger can give the devil a foothold. There are so many frustrating moments where anger seeks to rise up in us and stay in our hearts, all pent up and taking space, stealing our capacity to pause, breathe, find peace and joy in the moment in Gods presence. Be empowered today as you lift up and open up your chest and breath in the Holy Presence and power of God whilst in Cobra Pose. Know that God will help you strike the ugly heal of the enemy whenever anger seeks to rear its head in your heart. Instead choose to speak truthfully of those people who may be the cause of that anger and frustration in you. What is most true of that person? That they are beloved by God and have inherent dignity? Focus on and speak that truth. Similarly in situations that cause anger to well up inside of us, what is the most truthful thing about this situation? That ultimately God is in control and He at work even now to turn this circumstance redeeming the situation into an opportunity not just for goodness but for glory and abundant grace as well. 

*References 

Full disclosure when I read this Psalm by chance on the 27 March (Psalm 27 for day 27 of the month), it was early in the morning and I didn’t have my glasses on,  a beautiful mistake was made where I fully convinced myself for the next four weeks that the bible verse said ‘snuggled’ it in fact says smuggled

“Dethroning Mammon”, Justin Welby 

Matthew 14:22

Philippians 4:6

“The pursuit of God”, A W Tozer