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God Doesn’t Leave

As a writer, Dr. O. Alan Noble isn’t afraid to touch on big topics — from pluralism and secularism to mental health and suicide. He also speaks about church and culture at colleges, churches, and youth groups. But whether he’s in front of a crowd or sharing his thoughts on paper, he has one goal in mind — to say something real and true that can help others. Below, Alan opens up about spiritual practices.

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I’m terrible at the spiritual disciplines. This is one of many areas of my life that I am actively working on.

What I would like to say is that I pray the “Daily Office” three times a day and listen to the “ESV: M’Cheyne Reading Plan” podcast every day. That would be lying, though.

The reality is that my most valued daily spiritual practice is repentance and petitions as the trials and travails of life overwhelm me. I try to keep my head above water by crying out for help and repenting for plunging myself into the water in the first place.

And the great thing is that God’s grace is sufficient even for an undisciplined fool like me. God meets us where we are, but he doesn’t leave us — thankfully.

—O. Alan Noble, associate professor at Oklahoma Baptist University, as told to Rapt Interviews

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