The apostle Paul’s words to the Athenians on Mars Hill give us insight into the nature of Christian mysticism or perhaps I should say Christian spirituality. “He is not far from any of us,” Paul says to the Athenians. Then he quotes from their own poets. First, from the Cretan philosopher, Epimenides who said, “For in him we live and move and have our being.” Then from the Cilician Stoic philosopher, Aratus, “We are his offspring.” (See Acts 17:28)
It’s no wonder that the church fathers often address the connection between Greek philosophers and the full revelation of God that comes to us through Jesus in their writings. Paul was “distressed” by all the idols in Athens. At the same time, he recognized a deep spiritual hunger among the people.
The reason I write about Christian Mysticism each week is that I’m concerned about the lack of spiritual awareness and understanding among disciples of Jesus in our day. If you have been reading my posts or books in the last couple of years, you know that one of the things that concerns me most about twenty-first-century Christianity is an overemphasis on “head” knowledge as opposed to “heart” knowledge in much of the church today.
But the truth is that while we should love God with all our minds, sharpening and honing our intellectual capacities, we are also commanded by Jesus to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength.
It is precisely here that Evelyn Underhill gives us some real insight and advice. At the age of thirty-two, this brilliant British woman came to know Christ as her Lord and Savior. In Devotional Classics, edited by Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, the authors tell us that “Underhill’s personal spiritual journey intersected with her intellectual capability, producing the much-needed combination of authentic spirituality and academic integrity.”1
Evelyn emphasized the importance of thinking, feeling, and willing in our Christian lives, particularly in our prayer lives. I’ve learned a lot about prayer in these last two years. I’m learning, to quote Underhill, that when it comes to prayer, “meditation comes before oration” or spoken words of prayer. I’m also experiencing what she refers to as “the priceless gift of spiritual rest” that comes to us as we learn to quiet our spirits and recognize the reality that “in him we live and move and have our being.”
As we learn (and learning requires time, patience, and constant practice) to quiet ourselves and in the words of Psalm 46:10 to “Be still and know that I am God” our awareness of God’s presence in our lives grows.
How aware are you of God’s presence in your everyday life? Do you hear Him speaking through people, circumstances, and events? Maybe even people and circumstances that are not religious or Christian? (one of the reasons for my Friday Rock ’n Roll devotionals.)
I’ll have more to share with you about Evelyn Underhill in future weeks. For now, I simply invite you to practice the presence of God daily in times of meditation and prayer. It is a life-changing practice for those who diligently seek communion with their Lord.
In Christ,
Dan
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Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, Devotional Classics, p.94.