Why "St. Cuthbert's Island"?

Saint Cuthbert was a Celtic monk who lived in the 7th century.
He received visitors at his monastery in Northumbria and was even appointed a bishop, but he yearned for the life of an ascetic. While living at the monastery on the island of Lindisfarne, he sought to spend time with the Lord whenever possible. Early on, he practiced solitude on a small island that was linked to Lindisfarne by a land bridge when the tide was low. This tiny island, known as Saint Cuthbert’s Island, was a training ground of sorts—a place to grow in faith and in love for God.

I chose to name my blog after this island for two reasons:
1) I hope that it will be a place where I can spend time alone with God, growing in my love for Him.
2) Perhaps, when the tide is low, others may find their way to this tiny island
and, by God’s grace, be blessed by what they find there.
Showing posts with label reverence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reverence. Show all posts

Friday, June 22, 2007

Numbed by Choice?

Recently I caught myself switching stations on my radio because I didn't care for the song that was playing. This is nothing new--in fact, such jumping from station to station frequently drives my wife crazy. So...why do I mention it?

The song I rushed to silence was a song of praise to our God. I didn't like the style or the guy's voice, so why should I listen to it? I am not suggesting that we need to subject ourselves to sub-par performances just because they deal with faith. What bothered me about this occurrence was how flippantly I dismissed the song. This was a song of reverence, yet I didn't think twice about rejecting it.

I'm not a high-churcher, but I really appreciate some of the rituals they embrace. I love the idea of standing for the reading of the Word. I will never forget being criticized by old women in Europe for setting my Bible down on the floor--this was disrespectful. I have so many Bibles, I don't give it much thought. But I think those ladies had a point--lack of respect tends toward rejection.

We are bombarded by choices today. We have Christian radio, tons of books, denominations galore, and even (Lord, have mercy) Christian television. I have more books than I could read in a year, and yet I want to buy more. Choice is a great thing. I celebrate the wealth of quality material that's out there. But I fear that choice has created in us a buffet-style mentality of sampling much, but feasting richly on very little. It has also given rise to a critical attitude, one where we critique the form rather than appreciating and embracing the message.

I want to fill my mind with that which is true, right, pure, and lovely (Philippians 4:8), but I don't want to just flit from place to place like a dragonfly over the surface of the waters. I want to drink deeply. This takes time and repetition. It takes commitment and faith in God.

More than anything else, I want to retain an attitude of reverence. I am sure I will change the radio dial from many more Christian songs. Yet as I do so, I don't want to be flippant. I don't want to grow callous. Reverence for God is something I want to cherish.

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)
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