George Fox was a man on fire. Edward Hoare tells us that “The primary mission of George Fox was to turn people to the Inward Light of Christ that speaks to the condition of each individual. He believed that the Light within was not automatically switched on, but that one becomes aware of it by Grace. His first task was to turn people to that light, a Light which stopped them in their tracks, as it did Margaret Fell when she cried out, 'We are all thieves, we have taken the scriptures in words and know nothing of them ourselves.'"
Are we on fire? Do we get stopped in our tracks? Not me, not usually. Well, sometimes. Why not more often?
Some in our Meeting are struggling with our corporate sense of identity. Recent voices ask: Do we have gathered Meetings? Does the Spirit flow deeply among us? Are we doing enough in the world? Do our lives speak? How do we spend the one wild and precious life we are given?
I've spent a few days wrestling with these questions and today took the time to post something on our Meeting's email list. Now I'm just asking myself, “Am I, in my own life, being faithful to the Spirit? Am I hiding out, hoping that God won't ask me to do anything too difficult? How am I led? Do my daily practices open the way for me to hear that still, small voice?” Truthfully, I've been lazy about my own practice: I could always pray more, listen more, prepare for Meeting more. Plus sleep more, be with friends more, and the list goes on.
