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[T]he covenant of Place calls us to stability.
*Richard J. Foster. Prayer.
My chief joy is to escape to the attic of the garden house and the little broken window that looks out over the valley. There in the silence I love the green grass. The tortured gestures of the apple trees have become a part of my prayer.... So much do I love this solitude that when I walk out along the road to the old barns that stand alone, far from the new buildings, delight begins to overpower me from head to foot and peace smiles even in the marrow of my bones.
*Thomas Merton. The Sign of Jonas.
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7Moses used to set up a tent far from camp. He called it the " meeting tent," and whoever needed some message from the LORD would go there. 8Each time Moses went out to the tent, everyone would stand at the entrance to their own tents and watch him enter. 9-11Then they would bow down because a thick cloud would come down in front of the tent, and the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, just like a friend. Afterwards, Moses would return to camp, but his young assistant Joshua [a] would stay at the tent.
*Exodus 33.7-11 (CEV)
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Richard J. Foster writes, in Prayer, of "The Covenant of Place." Benedict, in his Rule, addressed the problem of roving monks, who moved from monastery to monastery, not finding contentment anywhere. "The Covenant of Place" refers, then, to what the Benedictine tradition refers to as "stability," one of the essentials of The Rule of St. Benedict.
The spiritual practice of Stability addresses human need to be focused somewhere. As Foster speaks, referring to the monastic practice of Stability, "We, too, need to be anchored somewhere."
Stability has a general practice, as it relates to the external world. We can discover a need and spiritual longing to settle down in one place and live out the Divine Will there. When I was sent to my present pastorate, such is what I notified my area supervisor of, who represented me before a group making pastoral appointments to churches in the Conference. I felt I needed Stability of outward place, both for my spiritual growth and emotional well-being.
Stability refers, also, to a more specific daily practice of faithfulness to a set place for communion with the Divine. I get up each morning, get my coffee drink, and settle into the same chair at the same place. This is a Covenant of Place for me. Such Stability provides resonances bodily, as the place is associated over time with our Quiet time. I find it easier to settle into Quiet by returning daily to the same place for my devotions.
Stability has an inward dimension. We pray to be content where Spirit is with us, using us, and allowing us to worship and serve. If we do not have contentment within, we will never find contentment without.
Stability relates to a "covenant." "Covenant" implies loyalty, agreement to fidelity. We are faithful to the Divine Being by being loyal to our sacred contracts with place, whether a place of daily devotions, a congregation we join, or our present living address.
Does this Stability, or Covenant of Place, mean we can never make changes? No. Sometimes we need to make a change in place. The change needs to be for the right reasons, however. We need to do our best to honor the Covenant of Place, and when we need to change, we can carry the spirit of loyalty to the new place, where can form a new Covenant of Place.
Finally, the Tent of Meeting in Hebrew Scripture provides us a model of Covenant of Place. The people revered the Tabernacle, which they took with them on the desert trek. A tradition has Moses frequenting the Tent to meet with God. And Joshua, assistant to Moses, stayed at the Tent.
How does the practice of Stability, or a Covenant of Place, relate to your spiritual practice? * Why do you think Stability is helpful on the spiritual Journey? * Are there times you had to break a Covenant of Place for the good? Explain. * Do you think our present culture encourages Stability? Explain.
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*OneLife has been a free offering and not asked for donations or fees. However, charitable contributions would be appreciated to assist Brian in the continuance of his work of ministry. For contributions, contact Brian through the Inquiry below.
*Brian's book of mystical love poetry, An Ache for Union: Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major booksellers, or through the Cokesbury on-line store, at www.cokesbury.com .
*Brian K. Wilcox lives with his two beloved dogs, St. Francis and Bandit Ty, in Southwest Florida. He serves the Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a contemplative life and inspires others to experience a more intimate relationship with Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused Christianity and renewal of the focus of the Church on addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons, along with empathic relating with other world religions, East and West. Brian has an independent writing, workshop, and retreat ministry, for all spiritual seekers.
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