Just a quiet yes

Zig Zigler said, "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time", and I cannot agree more. The 'aim' we take in life determines the course we will follow. If we aim to please people, we will find ourselves constantly changing what we do, how we do it, when it is done, and so on. If we aim to please ourselves all the time, we will find the more we try to please ourselves, the less likely we are to be pleased - we will always want more. The more we aim at pleasing God, the less we will seek the approval of others and the more we will seek his will to be done in our lives. How is it we 'seek God' above all other ambitions, desires, or impressions this world gives us? I think it begins when we determine we want his will over the will of others, and especially over our own will. Sinful behaviors manifest when we 'dabble' with sin's tug even a little bit. The more we resist the 'tiny tugs' of sin, the more we will resist the bigger ones that come along. It isn't the big ones that usually trip us up anyway - it is the tiniest of tugs that we ignore, give room to within our minds, and eventually act upon within our heart!

So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him make himself scarce. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. (James 4:10)

We say a quiet 'yes' to Jesus every time we determine to aim toward the instruction he gives us. Will we always hit the mark just because we aim? No, definitely not! I was an expert marksman in the military, but there were a whole lot of 'missed bullseyes' along the way! I had to learn how to 'breathe', steady my gaze, and focus intently on the target. It didn't come easy, but the more I focused on developing the 'skill' of shooting my weapon, the better I became at hitting the target. The more we focus on the things God asks us to do, such as putting away something that is a distraction to us and taking up whatever it is he asks us to focus on at that moment, the more likely we are to be developing the skill of 'aiming' correctly. We won't always hit the mark, but we will grow closer and closer to hitting the target. Then each time we say a quiet 'yes' to his instruction, the closer we move from just 'hitting the target' to actually 'hitting the bullseye'! Just sayin!

The edge is calling

 I know I was ready to fall, but, Lord, your faithful love supported me. I was very worried and upset, but you comforted me and made me happy! (Psalm 94:18-19)

I don't know about you, but there have been plenty of warnings for me when I am about to 'fall' into temptation of some kind. It could just be the knowledge that what I am about to do is a bit 'out on the edge' of what God really wants for his kids. It could be that I hear a clear warning in my subconscious mind, the voice of the Holy Spirit, warning me to just stop. Either way, I had the chance, but did I always listen? Nope! Does that still happen? From time to time, but less and less frequently. Why? I have learned to lean into God's 'faithful support' when I am just about to take that final step into compromise. There is much to be said about 'knowing you are ready to fall' and and having his unfailing love and support to keep you from doing so.

Knowing when we are about to compromise is important, but it isn't always a lesson we learn the first time. It is in the repeation that we learn some things well, just as it is in the repetition that we learn to give into sin when we shouldn't. If we learn to trust that still small voice, that little niggling within our subconscious, we might find ourselves making the decision to avoid the compromise all together. Will it always be 'stopping' at the same spot of being 'right there on the edge'? No, in time we come to 'stop' a bit sooner, then a little bit sooner. Why? We have learned to trust God to keep us from stumbling - we are listening closely to his voice, and we desire to see our choices changed. God can work with that!

Being on the 'brink of falling' is kind of scary, isn't it? God gives us the warning that we are approaching too closely to the 'edge' because he knows the closer we get to the edge, the more unstable the footing becomes underneath us. He calls us back because he doesn't want us to fall. We need to learn to trust that voice of warning - even when the struggle with sin's pull to compromise seems a bit stronger than we'd been prepared for. God knows the desires of our heart. He sees the path we are following. Never be concerned that he won't give the warning to stop. Be more concerned that you won't listen, lean in, and learn to turn away before you actually reach the edge! Just saying!

Careless talk?

Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly. (Plutarch)

You might think you are a very religious person. But if your tongue is out of control, you are fooling yourself. Your careless talk makes your offerings to God worthless. (James 1:26)

I cannot help but think of the times I have droned on and on with someone about a topic I have such interest in, only to realize they have not been listening because I am the only one interested in the topic! I have had to learn to 'read the crowd', so to speak, and listen more than I speak. It was not an easy lesson to learn, but a necessary one, especially as it pertains to sharing the truth of the gospel message. I used to think I needed to preach a sermon, but then realized my life was speaking louder than my words.

Know how to listen - this is our instruction today. The tongue can wag on and on, making it hard to really 'hear' what is being said. The more 'words' we use, the more we think others will get the point. The truth is that we don't need 'big words' as much as we need heartfelt words that encourage trust. An out-of-control tongue can do much damage, turning the 'hearers' into walled off 'listeners'. As Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out two-by-two, spreading the good news about him and the freedom he brought to them, they ask what they should say. Why? They were not 'learned teachers of the Law of Moses', so they didn't think they 'knew' what to say.

Jesus' response to them? Don't worry about what to say but trust the Spirit of God to give you the right words, in the right time, delivered to the right audience. We can glean from this that if we want others to listen, speak what the Spirit gives us in that moment. How do we come to the place of knowing what to speak and when to speak it forth? We learn to listen to Jesus. At first, the disciples actually spent more time listening to Jesus than they did speaking of him. They learned by listening - taking in the teachings and then allowing them to 'ruminate' within. Learn to listen - then you will know when and what to speak!

The more 'learned' one has become is not important - books don't bring us life. The best 'learning' comes sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening intently. It is in listening that we learn to control our words. Just sayin!

Swimming Upstream?

My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words. Don’t let them out of your sight. Never stop thinking about them. These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover them. Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life. (Proverbs 4:20-23)

When God asks us to pay attention it is just that he knows how easily we become distracted by other things or people. The 'loudest voice' or the 'shiniest image' gets our attention and before we know it, we are following the crowd and not him. I recently attended a large gathering and at the end of the event, huge crowds all marched out in no particular order, but with intent. I took particular notice of those who were trying to 'swim upstream', pushing past those who were intent on going one direction when they were committed to going the other. Sometimes our Christian walk can seem a bit like we are 'swimming upstream' while the crowds are swimming smoothly in the opposite direction. Just remember one thing - they think they know where they are all going, but if they don't really know who is leading them, they might not reach their desired destination.

Pay attention to the words of God - they are not always easily heard, sometimes harder than we'd like to understand, but they have never steered anyone wrong. One of the most reassuring things we can count on when the crowds are streaming one direction, and we seem to be fighting the battle to go the other is that God isn't abandoning us in the 'swim'. He gives us his word so we can meditate upon it, recalling it when the crowds are telling us we should be going the opposite direction, then leaning into the direction it gives above all other advice we might receive to the contrary. Be careful what you think - this is probably the crux of the issue when it comes to choosing the direction we will 'swim' in life. What we think upon the most will influence the actions we take with ease. Think upon his word and we might just find ourselves taking action in the direction others have been avoiding.

The secret to living well might actually be finding a translation of his word that helps us enjoy our time in it, get something out of it, and desire more of it in our lives. We cannot think upon it if we never get it in. We don't know the direction our life should take if we never ask. When we hear clearly that the direction has been established, we can just merge with the crowds, or 'swim upstream' with one intention in mind - to be with him. Just sayin!

Was that in there?

...if my people who are called by my name become humble and pray, and look for me, and turn away from their evil ways, then I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

If my people - notice that God doesn't say 'when', but 'if'. There is a condition - we must make the first move when it comes to repentance. This message isn't written to those who don't already have a relationship with him - it is written to those 'called by his name'. These are believers who obviously have grown cold, a little too apathetic and indifferent. This is where we find ourselves whenever we allow our focus to become clouded by the things of this world - coldness drifts in, hunger begins to be fulfilled by something other than his presence. If we want to 'come back' from wherever it is we have drifted, it begins by humbling ourselves and asking for his help to return!

Humble yourself, pray, and look for him - these are three very specific actions that are involved in repentance. First, we must recognize we aren't on the right path. This oftentimes requires more than a bit of humility because we might just want to hide our misguided adventures and not be very open about them. When we are finally willing to admit them, we are on the path to restoration. Then we are to pray - talk with God about what we realize to have been our failure. At this point, don't be surprised when God shows us something entirely different that led to the choices we have made. We might think it is one thing that got us off course, but when he shows us there is something quite different that led to the compromise, we need to listen intently.

Look for him - it is only in seeking that we find things. Have you ever noticed the urgency that comes when we are seeking something we have need of or have misplaced? We uncover a good many other things in the process, don't we? Things we may have forgotten about entirely, but that clutter up our lives. When we move toward confession, we might just discover there are a few more things we uncover that we need to lay out on the table before God, as well. Perhaps this is where the 'turning away' comes. As we discover the 'stuff' we didn't realize was tucked away, we don't want to just leave it there - we want to get it out in the open and rid ourselves of it. Repentance isn't always convenient, easy, or without complications. It is necessary, though! It is where we find ourselves ridding ourselves of what only clutters our lives and makes things more difficult for us. Just sayin!

Are we there yet?

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. (James 1:5-8)

We are reminded in Proverbs 3:5-7 to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." As we all have varying backgrounds, we likely approach life's challenges in various ways. We might just find ourselves turning to this world's wisdom first, then when it doesn't do what we hoped it would do, we turn to God. As long as we rely upon the wisdom the world offers, we will be limited in our perception of the issue. The limitation? We see things through our natural eyes - emotions being played upon, we respond based upon emotion, not godly wisdom. Godly wisdom is always available to us, but we might just have to stop long enough to ask for it, ruminate on it a bit, and then allow its application in our lives.

There are probably more times we lack wisdom than we might first admit. We come headlong into a situation and then we stumble around a bit until we realize what we possess in the way of earthly knowledge isn't cutting it. Pride sometimes gets in the way of us asking for God's help - making it almost impossible to avoid the hiccups that come from facing things we cannot control, much less fully understand all in our own wisdom. Once we put aside our pride and turn to God for his help, we find new wisdom for the circumstances at hand. Although we delayed in seeking his wisdom, he never criticizes us or judges us when we take so long to ask! It is far better to ask sooner than later, but some of us just take a bit of time to put our pride in the backseat and allow God to take over. Remember, God always welcomes our requests for help - we might not think so, but we find repeated examples of his intervening grace recorded for us in scripture whenever someone humbles themselves before him.

Sometimes we don't ask for God's help because we think the answer we receive will be a little different or 'worse' than what we imagined the answer to be. It may not be the answer we anticipated, but God's answers are always the best ones - we must rely upon his wisdom to keep us protected, and within the safety of his caring arms. God hears the first word we utter and he isn't afraid to answer, but sometimes he allows us to get things out of our system in prayer before he begins the work of answering. He isn't afraid to show us his will, but sometimes we need to get to the place we will accept it and walk in it! Just sayin!

The movement God requires

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. (Psalm 23:1) Take note, it is all we NEED, not all we WANT. We might want things that aren't always all that beneficial for us to have, but God knows what we NEED and he always works things to meet those needs. John reminds us, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (10:27) Whose voice do you hear most - God's or your own? Who we listen to the most might just be the factor in what it is we pursue!

Sheep know the voice of the Shepherd. It is how sheep know how to follow THEIR shepherd and not wander away with just 'any old shepherd' who calls for them to come their way. Sheep might 'intermingle' while grazing in the field, but when they hear the voice of their master, they know when it is time to separate and go where he leads. We might 'intermingle' a bit with this world and hear all the voices calling to us to 'come', but there is only one voice we are actually 'tuned' to hear!

Do baby sheep know the shepherd's voice? Probably not at first. In fact, they need to follow their 'flock mates' a bit at first, until they get the hang of it. Maybe this is why it is so important for a new Christian to get into a good group of believers when they come to Christ. They need to learn to hear his voice, and until they do, they need to be around those who can already hear it as distinct from all the other voices beckoning unto them. Exodus 23:2 reminds us, "“You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong." Be sure the crowd you are with are actually following the right Shepherd!

Everything belongs to God - this is how he can provide for each of our needs. We won't 'want' because he has every means to make provision for our need. When God does not immediately meet our need, does that mean he isn't going to, or that he is unable to meet it? Absolutely not! It means he has another plan - a purpose in how and when he will meet our need. As an example, we may want to buy a new car, but he knows there is a slightly used one perfect to meet our need and he is working out all the details to have our need met. Learning to listen to his voice is key to understanding when and where our needs will be met.

The sheep follow the shepherd because they know he has their good in mind. He always leads them to green pastures so they are nourished. He knows the watering holes so they are able to drink deeply. He provides shaded rest for them because he knows they cannot endure the heat forever. When the sheep listen to his voice, the good they need is always about to be provided. Might they have to move to obtain it? Yes, but in the movement God requires there is so much more than we might have ever expected. Just sayin!

Listen and Believe

Are you able to listen when there are multiple distractions? I have difficulties 'filtering' out sound, conversations, or music lyrics when I am really trying to concentrate. I was never one of those students who could study with the most popular band's music blaring from the stereo in the background. I also know I don't do well where there are multiple distractions. My desk faces the wall, not the window. My computer desk is free of papers and the like because it would just distract me during my quiet time each morning. When I travel, I find a quiet spot, take my coffee and sit a while with God, listening as he shows me things in the scripture. Remove the distractions and we might just find ourselves able to 'listen to the message' God wants to bring into our lives today.

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. (John 5:24-25)

Listen and believe - both are active components of faith. We cannot have one without the other. When we actually do all we can to eliminate the barriers to listening, we might just find that God has been saying something to us all along that we have been missing because of all the 'noise' the world places in our way. As Jesus is facing the criticism of the religious leaders, he is also aware there are some in the crowd, his disciples included, who are willing to 'press past' the distractions of the 'loud critics' to hear the truth. We need to be willing to be like those who 'listened and believed' that day. As Jesus said, we can be assured we will find life when we listen.

Whoever imagined that life was linked to listening? We might not always want to listen, but in hearing what he says we make a choice to live. Hearing is the beginning of faith - it plants a seed of hope that begins to take hold the more we listen and obey. Jesus isn't just calling for his children - he is imploring them to turn away from the distracting criticism of those who do nothing more than put up roadblocks in their path. Distractions will always be there in this life, but when we do the best we can to manage them, God will help us lay hold of the things he desires for us. We must listen and believe - allowing what we hear to remove all our doubts. In the face of doubts and criticism, don't give into those 'distracting forces'. Press into God and listen. What he says next may just set your free to live in a whole new way. Just sayin!

In that quiet place...

Be alert and think straight. Put all your hope in how kind God will be to you when Jesus Christ appears. Behave like obedient children. Don’t let your lives be controlled by your desires, as they used to be. Always live as God’s holy people should, because God is the one who chose you, and he is holy. That’s why the Scriptures say, “I am the holy God, and you must be holy too.” (I Peter 1:13-16 CEV)

In medical assessment, a patient who is less alert than their baseline assessment had been at a previous point might be under the untoward influence of a sedative, or perhaps have suffered a life-altering event such as stroke or bleed into their brain. To be alert, one is to be fully awake and able to direct full attention toward something. If someone is awake, but drifts easily back to sleep, without being able to focus or concentrate on what you are asking them to do, we begin to look for causes of this "drift" in attentiveness and alertness. It is this "alertness" faculty which gives us our ability to make decisions, engage in thoughtful process, and even follow along with a train of thought someone else may be discussing. Without alertness, we are simply "there", but not really engaged in the moment. To be less than alert places us at risk - for what we turn our attention toward is what we often pursue or become. When we are unable to focus our attention, the dangers are often great!

Be alert and think straight. If you have ever tried to 'be alert' when you are just a little bit scattered in your thoughts, you might find it is kind of difficult. Even when you have your thoughts well-ordered, you might find yourself drifting out of alertness just because there are distractions all around. The two work together, yet they are not entirely 'dependent' upon each other. The influences of life's demands place us at risk of decreased alertness and into circumstances where 'ordered' thought is more than a little bit difficult! When we are alert, we are keenly aware of what is going on around us. We process this "data" and form certain opinions of how it is we are to use it, reject it, flee from it. If we possess the ability to "think straight" in those same moments, we can trust the input to be "sorted" well and those things which should be embraced will be, and those which should be rejected will find their way quickly out of our minds and hearts. Obedience is based on being alert and thinking straight - for in embracing the "correct" stuff and rejecting the "lame" stuff, we are beginning to walk as we should - as obedient children of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Most of us don't consider ourselves as "holy" - we are just on the journey which leads to the incorporation of better choices, upright living, and honesty in our actions. In some sense, we see this as being "less than holy", but in reality, we are already declared to be holy - we are just in the process of learning to "walk this out" in our daily lives. Even when we don't "feel" holy, we are. What God is to remain alert to the things which will "dissuade" us from making right choices - in other words - be alert! Use some good "thinking skills" in making our choices - not allowing our minds to become so cluttered by life's demands and distractions that we make spur of the moment choices that are not well thought out. When we begin to live in such a way, the steps toward obedience are quicker and more reliable.

What consumes our thoughts will impact our choices. If we are "on alert" to what can so easily consume our thoughts, we will be quicker to reject the stuff that is just going to add "clutter" to an already complicated amount of thought. If we let our "alertness" drift, we might succumb to the loudest impressions we are exposed to - making our choices less than reliable and very inconsistent from what we would desire for our lives. 

When our focus is fully awakened, we are "alert" to the possibilities of what stands in our midst. Some of the time, we engage in life without bringing our focus into full "alertness" - we just go about life without really spending time to get our focus right. This is why I start my day with study in the Word, over a cup of coffee, and in a quiet place. I remove distractions, focus my attention, and let the level of "alertness" begin to bring order to my thoughts. Anything less would place me at risk of hasty decisions, and not very reliable actions. How about you? Are you allowing your focus to be fully awakened? You might just be surprised what purpose you might discover in today's activities when you allow such an awakening! Just sayin!

Inner Rest

 If you wake me each morning with the sound of your loving voice, I’ll go to sleep each night trusting in you. Point out the road I must travel; I’m all ears, all eyes before you. Save me from my enemies, God—you’re my only hope! Teach me how to live to please you, because you’re my God. Lead me by your blessed Spirit into cleared and level pastureland. (Psalm 143:8-10)

The sound of God's voice - do you know what that is? Do you recognize his still small voice? When we learn to recognize God's voice, there is a certain sense of peace that settles into our hearts. We begin to 'operate' on a different level because we know his guidance will establish our path. All God asks of each of us is that we be 'all ears' when it comes to his voice, and 'closed ears' when it comes to listening to the voice of temptation or evil. 

God's greatest delight is for us to desire to live in a manner that pleases him - allowing him to help us through difficult moments when we might not even recognize that we are being tempted to say or do something that wouldn't bring him honor. In turn, it doesn't bring us any honor, either. The simplest prayer for us to lift to his ears is the one that asks him to teach us how to live well - it can also be the hardest one to utter.

If we begin to pray that prayer on a regular basis, imagine what God could do in our lives. We might just see doors that have been tightly shut to us open up and unseen pathways become clear. There is just something about God being invited to show us where to step, how to take those steps, and when we should move forward that delights his heart. If we struggle with finding true 'rest' in our lives, it could be that we haven't really allowed God to become our 'resting place'. 

Trust is established where there is open and honest communication. If we lack trust in God, perhaps it can begin to be established by us opening up our hearts, sharing our inner struggles, and then just listening. As we await his guidance, we might just begin to feel the release that leads to that 'inner rest'. Just sayin!

Bring God In

This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’ (Jeremiah 33:2-3)

Why does God, the one who made all things and knows all things, require us to ask for whatever it is we need or want? To be required to ask when he knows already seems kind of foolish on the surface, but if you stop to consider what "asking" entails, you may come to a revelation of the true purpose of asking. Asking requires us to humble ourselves, not to mention allowing for time to bring a clarification of our wants and needs. Have you ever sought one thing, only to find when you received it the "thing" did not do for you whatever you hoped it would? I realized just how much I didn't really need what I asked for - it was just something to "fill space" in my life, but that "space" really should have been occupied by something else (or someone else).

Asking is a process - not a one-time thing, but a developmental process. To truly understand what is behind our "asking", we have to understand the process. We have a want or a need. The difference is that one of these is sort of like icing on a cake. Cake alone is good but put the icing on it and it is great. A need is like the cake - it provides what will bring satisfaction. The want is like the icing - it provides that little bit of "wow" into our lives which we long for in some way. It involves knowing the difference between the two. As long as we are confused as to the difference between a want and a need, we will constantly be asking for our wants rather than our needs. A steady diet of icing will only put us on sugar-overload!

Although there may be a little "high" from having the want met, it is short-lived and soon we are "let down" by it. What we need is what will sustain us for the long-haul. Asking requires us to be humble enough to actually ask. Some of us will do almost anything in our own effort BEFORE we ask for help! It isn't until we have failed to bring about something that we humble ourselves enough to ask. God wants us to learn to rely upon another, not just ourselves. Too many of us start out thinking we cannot be "dependent" upon anyone for our "success" in life. In time, God will bring all of us to the same conclusion - life lived "independent" of his care and protection is just not life lived to its fullest!

We must put into words whatever it is we need. We often have a hard time articulating what it is we need. We just cannot find the words to express it - or we just plain don't know. Just because we don't know how to put into words what we have need of doesn't mean God doesn't need to hear from us - he provides the Holy Spirit to "utter those inner needs" directly into the ear of our heavenly Father. It calls for us to be open to hearing. It is much easier to speak about what we need and then so very hard to be quiet long enough to actually hear how it is God might plan for us to have that need met! Part of asking is being quiet - putting the need out there and then resting in our position of humble waiting. Waiting is not the strongest suit for many of us - me included. This process of waiting and listening is difficult and requires more of us than the actual "asking" does in the first place! It is the part of the process where we get clarity and begin to see God at work in our lives. Apart from hearing, we have just "us" in the picture! Hearing allows God to be "brought in"! Just sayin!

Are the plans changing again?

 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

There are seasons in our lives where 'planning' is just not possible. We call those crisis times. In those moments, we react to the current needs, forgetting all about plans we may have made or plans we'd like to make. Why? Our attention is required in the present moment. It is good to know that even when we are not able to 'plan' or 'work the plan' we have made, God remains fully in control of our lives. His plan is being worked, even when ours may have had to go on hold for a bit!

As we move from crisis moment to 'normal routine' again, we may assume the plans we had made, but it is quite possible our plans were altered by the crisis. Why? The crisis made something clearer, rearranged our priorities, created a sense of need within us, drew us closer together, or just challenged us in some way to get out of the rut we had begun to dig. Plans are good, but don't always count on them to remain consistent!

If we want to always be in tune with what God has planned for us, we need to be asking him what he has planned. There is great wisdom in admitting our own plans aren't always working out as we 'planned'. There is also great wisdom in 'checking in' with God to be sure our 'plans' are the right ones for the season we are in. The sad truth is we don't always consult him to see if they need a bit of change. We assume once they were laid out, they'd remain the same. As we make steps forward, we encounter things we didn't expect to face. What we do in those moments is important.

When we stop, ask, and then listen, do you know what God does? He listens and responds! He either tells us our plans are spot on, or he shows us where they need adjustment. Either way, it is because we asked and then paid close attention to what he said. We might just find 'our plans' begin to align a bit closer to God's plans for us when we actually follow these steps! Just sayin!

A favorable wind

If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable. (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this. (Proverbs 3:5-12)

I have been guilty of 'setting out' before considering the 'destination' - how about you? We might do this more often than we think. It may not be us setting out for a physical destination as much as going places in our minds we should not be going, spending without considering the expense, or even just lollygagging around the house when we know there is stuff we should be doing. Destinations matter - they should not be taken lightly. Trying to figure out 'how' we got somewhere AFTER we are already there is harder than considering the way we are headed BEFORE we set out on the journey. Give God the first and the best - this seems like it should be easy, but what 'first' was the last thing you gave to God? What 'best' was dedicated to him and not to ourself or someone else? Time, talent, finances, and even our thoughts - the best and the first - they belong to him.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart - the journey made with him is better than the journey made without him. The journey 'back to him' simply because we did not consider his direction FIRST is harder than the one we take with him. In school, the firefighters came and taught us what to do when there was a fire in our home. They taught one simple thing that has stuck with me through the decades - stop, drop, and roll. You probably have heard it, said it, and maybe even seen it save a life. One thing - considered for just a moment - made an impression that was enduring. I wonder what God might do in us with just one moment of wisdom we receive at his feet. Could it make a 'life-long impression' in our souls and spirit that would keep us throughout all our decades?

We aren't kept on track by happen-chance. We are kept on track because we considered the direction we should take with our time, talent, finances, and thoughts by ask God's wisdom BEFORE we took on the first leg of our journey - and kept on seeking his direction as the journey progressed. Have you ever had that 'check' in your spirit that makes you a little unsettled with whatever you are doing? That is God, my friend, telling you the destination is compromised, not exactly right for you, or pursued in the wrong timing. We need to heed God's 'little checks' as well as we heed his bigger ones! It could be the thing that keeps us from heading into disaster. Just sayin!

Reasoning and Will

Everyone enjoys giving good advice, and how wonderful it is to be able to say the right thing at the right time! (Proverbs 15:23)

I don't know about you, but 'giving' advice is much easier for me than 'heeding' it when someone else gives it to me. I want to think it through, mull it over, and determine 'if' I should actually take it to heart. I have had appliance repairmen tell me not to buy 'X' appliances, only to find those who own them say they are the most dependable appliances they have had. Whose advice do I rely upon - the one who made the purchase and uses the device, or the one who comes along when things don't function as they should? If the one purchasing is also the one who is responsible to maintain what is purchased, I might just rely upon their 'advice' a little more! Why? The one paying the price is also the one having to do what it takes to keep things running as they should. Jesus paid the price for the sins of this world AND he is the one who takes the responsibility to see to it that things are 'running as they should be' in our lives.

When the Word of God points out something in my life that isn't quite working correctly, is this just 'good advice' that I can mull over and come to my own conclusion as to embrace it or not? Not hardly! It is truth and truth embraced is what will keep me 'running' as I should! Too many times we treat the Word of God as though there were sections we can easily embrace and others we 'need to mull over' to see if they should apply to our lives. What we are doing is deciding which 'truth' is good for us and then rejecting other 'truth' because it seems too difficult or harsh. We may not easily embrace what it says, but it doesn't make the truth any less truth! God doesn't give us 'advice' - he gives us truth. He knows what will keep us running the course he has set out for us to run. He knows what will keep us from completing our course, as well. Heed truth and you shall run well. Ignore it and you might just find yourself 'paying a price' you never wanted to pay.

Pope Paul VI said, "Of all human activities, man's listening to God is the supreme act of his reasoning and will." We might not listen when another speaks, but when God speaks into our lives, we'd do well to listen. Listening involves more than just a bit of reasoning - we make judgments, form conclusions, and look for proofs. Incorrect conclusions based on 'flawed proofs' can lead us to making bad choices (the part of listening that involves our will). I have had to ask God to help me with my power of reasoning - not just once, but time after time again - so I am not making flawed choices based upon my own flawed conclusions. How about you? Do you listen, then 'reason away' truth based on some 'flawed conclusion' you might be making? If you and I are to 'run as we should', we need to be 'maintained' by the one who not only 'created us', but who also 'maintains' what he has paid for by his death, burial, and resurrection. It will do us well to treat his Word as truth not to be argued with but was the truth that brings ultimate freedom when heeded. Just sayin!

Awake again?

God called again, “Samuel!”—the third time! Yet again Samuel got up and went to Eli, “Yes? I heard you call me. Here I am.” That’s when it dawned on Eli that God was calling the boy. So Eli directed Samuel, “Go back and lie down. If the voice calls again, say, ‘Speak, God. I’m your servant, ready to listen.’” Samuel returned to his bed. Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” (I Samuel 3:8-9)

Samuel is eager to respond to the voice he hears. Why? He was simply trying to fulfill his everyday tasks, ready to learn what he could as he went about his routine in the temple, in service to the priests. Sometimes we get a little confused as to what we are to do with what it is we are hearing - we think we hear one thing, but could it really be something else? There are probably many times we hear God's voice, but because we aren't sure of the source, we go to what is familiar to us - as Samuel did when going to Eli. His was the voice he was most familiar with - to go to Eli was a natural response. Some of us get the impression someone is speaking to us - but we don't know it is God himself pulling us toward himself in order to reveal himself in or through us. We go where we are most familiar - friends, family, small group members, a counselor. Not an unrealistic response when you really think about it. We use them as the sounding boards - bouncing what it is we are "hearing" in our heads until we feel we have come to a place of clarity.

I don't necessarily think this is wrong, but sometimes God just wants us to respond directly to him - to answer him with, "Speak, Lord. I am ready to listen." The idea of speaking directly "with" God is frightening to some, but it is the plan God has for each of us. Notice I did not say it was us speaking directly "to" God, but "with" God. Sometimes we initiate the conversation - at others God does. Either way, it is a conversation. If one party speaks and the other just sits and listens - it is a lecture! If both engage, it is conversation - sometimes filled with good cheer and warm feelings, other times with hurt, sorrow, and the words which express how deeply we need each other. God desires direct and frequent conversation with us, and I am grateful he doesn't stop with the first call! Some of us take a little longer to figure out it is his voice calling us - others will get it on the first try. The good news is that God calls and keeps calling until we finally hear!

At first, God may initiate the conversation a little more than we do - until we become more comfortable with this idea of listening to his voice and hearing his revelation. Little by little, we grow "comfortable" with picking up the conversation right where we left off, anytime and anywhere. I have a good friend who is like that with me - we always just pick up where they left off, like no time has passed at all. God wants this closeness with us - entering into relationship with him isn't for the lazy or half-hearted. In fact, if we look at Samuel again, we see he arose from restful sleep to respond - not once, but three times! That is a pretty amazing thing, considering he was likely a teenager! I don't know about you, but when I finally get asleep - something escaping me as I age - I really like it when I can stay asleep until my rest has been reached. 

When I awaken in the night, one of the first thoughts I have is to turn my attention to listening. Sometimes I only hear the faint whirring of the fan overhead, but at others I hear words of a psalm or song beginning to fill my heart, or the needs of a dear friend or family member beginning to bring me to the place of prayer. Either way, it is in listening that we discover the moment of revelation God intends for us. Maybe God has been calling to you a little more frequently these days and you may not have been as "aware" of the voice you were hearing. Next time you hear it, try doing as Samuel did and saying, "Speak God. I am listening." You might just be surprised what conversation might just ensue in your 'readiness' to listen. Just sayin!

Hey...you there...yeah, you!

Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” (I Samuel 3:10)

Wisdom dictates we listen more than we speak - but I have to honestly tell you I don't always do well with that one requirement. Listening is an art - learned not because we really want to learn it, but because if we don't learn how to listen, we will eventually get life pretty much as we like it, but we might just be the only ones left in the picture once we do! I suspect there is much to this listening "art" which many of us have yet to perfect. In fact, learning this "art" of listening requires we not only learn how to "tune into" the voice we hear, but we learn to "recognize" the voice we are hearing. I think many of us hear those "voices" in our heads - hopefully not too many of them - but we don't always know which one is the one we should be listening to. 

If you have ever seen one of those commercials or cartoons where there is a little guy in white on one shoulder and a little guy in black on the other and someone is trying to figure out if which one to listen to, you probably understand what I mean. We hear "sides" to the stories in our head, and then we must determine which "side" we will respond to - we will be 'obedient' to at least one of those voices. There are probably "shades" of white and grey on both sides - not just the lily white and the deep, dark black. It is the "shades" of white and grey which present us with the most difficult challenge of sorting out the voices inside our head. 

Samuel was a young boy, probably in his early teens, or just about to enter his teens. He has been dedicated to the work of the Lord in the Temple, doing daily tasks within the Temple right alongside the priests. One day, he hears a voice call out to him. Thinking it was the priest, he hustles off to see what Eli wants, but it wasn't Eli. Did you ever stop to consider why even the priest didn't recognize the voice Samuel was actually hearing until the same call occurred the third time? The first two times Eli just sends him away, telling him it was not him who called. The third time, it "dawns on" Eli that this might just be God trying to get through to Samuel - to have a personal conversation with him or give him direction for his life! I wonder how many of us are kind of like Eli - just drifting along, getting all kinds of reminders of God desiring to speak with us, and then one day it finally dawns on us that he has been the one speaking to us all along - we just didn't recognize the voice!

Samuel knew he was hearing something - yet he didn't have clarity about what it was he was hearing. In the Old Testament times, the revelation of God's voice came to very few - those anointed to be his spokesperson were often the ones to receive the revelation. Today the voice of God is really something we can ALL hear - since Jesus opened the way for ALL of us to hear God's voice plainly and on an ongoing basis. The purpose of God's voice is to bring revelation - to disclose or uncover something not previously known. It might come in the form of direction, or perhaps as words of specific encouragement. 

There are times when God speaks directly to us to keep us safe - as when he gives us a quick warning which alerts us to pay attention to the traffic when we are drifting a little into daydreaming. It that split second of moving from daydreaming into attentive awareness, we narrowly avoid the collision which could have cost us dearly. Other times, he speaks to build us up or to encourage us to move ahead despite what we see on the outside. It seems he isn't getting through to his kids at times, but he knows he is touching something deep within us which will carry us through our day if we just listen closely. Just sayin! 

Engage with me

We aim above the mark to hit the mark. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live... (I Thessalonians 4:11-12)

Knowing where we are aiming is important, because our aim determines our course. We don't walk with an aim in front of us and then walk backwards. We set one foot in front of the other, hopefully in the direction of our target. Living a 'quiet life' is not having our head in the sand all of the time. We must engage in life, but in a respectful, peaceful, and kind manner. Christ didn't stick his head in the sand, avoiding all the tough issues, but rather he confronted them with a positive example, loving attitude, and kindness of heart that drew people to him.

A 'quiet life' isn't a 'sheltered' life - one in which we withdraw from what is happening around us. In fact, according to author Tim Ross, God calls us to 'upset our world'. That doesn't mean we get all radical and in everyone's face. It means we get up, go out, meet our neighbors, do life around us, and be there as Jesus was always there. We learn to 'relate' as God intended for all of his kiddos to relate to one another - in kindness and in love. The 'quiet life' isn't devoid of activity - it is action in the right direction - with the right aim!

I challenge you to begin to 'upset your world' today - not in any manner that is hostile - but with love and kindness. Every now and again, there is a man probably somewhere in his 5th or 6th decade of life, standing on the corner of our local big box hardware store, holding a sign that tells people they need Jesus in their lives. He doesn't get in anyone's face, nor does he shout 'repent or die' slogans. He just stands there during rush hour traffic and holds that sign. I don't know what made him take up this habit, but he is committed to getting the message out that people need Jesus.

He may not have a pulpit, have written a book, or even marched in a protest group, but he has an aim. Do I know if it is working? No, I don't, but I do know when God asks us to do something, no matter how 'weird' or 'out there' it may seem, he backs that plan with his presence. Someone may have seen his simple message and thought about it long enough to give their heart to Jesus - if not, the seed was planted. Is this my calling? No, it is not, but I admire him for being faithful to do what he believes God asked him to do. You and I live life daily, going about our business, sometimes without even 'seeing' or 'hearing' others, but we need to begin to both see and hear. God's message isn't always proclaimed from the pulpit, or on the street corner. It is best 'preached' by living a simple life where we engage with those God puts in our path. Just sayin!

Hearing? or Listening to Learn?

The greater our knowledge increases the more our ignorance unfolds. (John F. Kennedy)

The mind of a person with understanding gets knowledge; the wise person listens to learn more. (Proverbs 18:15)

I would like us to consider if we are listening to just 'hear', or are we listening to 'learn more'? The first option is a very common occurrence in society today - someone talks, we listen, but do we really hear their heart, understand their turmoil, or experience their grief? When we listen to 'learn more' there is an investment of ourselves in the life of the one we are actually 'hearing'. 

God wants to be the first person we listen to 'learn more' from in this walk we undertake each day with him. He also wants us to develop this sense of 'learning more' when we engage with others who come across our path each day. It is good to hear but hearing alone doesn't really require that much effort. We get 'knowledge' as we hear, but we don't see knowledge convert to wisdom until we listen to 'learn more'.

As Kennedy indicated, knowledge might just increase, but it never ensures wisdom as a result of that increase. In fact, if what he says holds true, just gaining knowledge (hearing alone) may actually reveal just how ignorant we are as a society. God's plan is that we actually take time to invest in the actions of 'hearing in order to learn more'. Yes, it requires time and effort. Yes, it means we might actually have to lay down our own agenda a bit to truly 'hear' what is being said. In so doing, we might just learn more than we bargained.

God asks us to stop and listen. Why? Ceasing the actions of our day might not always be the easiest thing to do, but when we set aside that time to actually listen to him, we find our hearts begin to 'assimilate' the knowledge he brings into the conversation. This is why I set aside each morning to 'listen' and to 'learn more'. If you have not made a special time to just be quiet and listen, do so. You will be delighted to know just how much God wants to you 'learn' at his feet. Just sayin!

Listen...no, listen

But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master. (Romans 6:23)

Stephen Covey was the one to remind us of the importance of listening to understand, not as so many of us do by listening with the eager intent to reply. God isn't looking for 'replies' as much as he is looking for us to make right life choices because we listened. I don't know about you, but I listen a whole lot of the time with the intent of replying, asking questions, getting answers. I don't listen as frequently with the intention of doing what I am asked to do!

It is very important for us to recognize the one who is actually speaking to us. I have lived over six decades now and can tell you for certain - there are MANY voices in this world that demand our attention. They seek to persuade us one way or another, but we can choose to listen or shut them out. It is a dangerous thing to not recognize the voice of God in our lives because we will be more likely to respond to a voice we should ignore when we don't know his voice over another's. 

How do we get to know his voice, so our choices can be pure and righteous? It comes by spending time with him. When I started this blog nearly twelve years ago, my hope was that we'd all get to spend just a few moments together each day considering the 'voice of God' through his Word. His Word is a powerful thing when it is 'considered', 'pondered', and 'rehearsed'. It is even more powerful when it is 'heeded', 'obeyed', and 'incorporated'. The voice of God isn't always audible, but it is ALWAYS powerful when our listening leads to actions.

Real life is available to those who will embrace his instruction - whether we 'hear' his voice audibly, through the reading of his words, or because we see an example of his grace and redemption right in front of us. We just need to be open to listening without leaping into how we want to respond. When we wait to respond until he has finished speaking, we may actually realize our response needs to follow an entirely different pathway than we might have initially taken. Just sayin!

P.S. Now...go back and read that passage again...and listen to the truth God has for you today.

Tossing and Turning

You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights, each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book. (Psalm 56:8)

As I grow a bit older each year, I notice new 'aches and pains' that weren't there a few years back. I hear the creak and crackle of the joints. I don't sleep all the way through the night anymore and find I toss and turn a bit too much at times. It is good to know God isn't unaware of these changes - in fact, he is tracking them probably more than we are!

Sleepless nights aren't very frequent for me. In fact, I usually find it easy to get to sleep - it is falling back to sleep after I have awakened in the wee hours of the morning that is harder. I have noticed it is often in these times of being awake and 'tossing about' a bit that God speaks to me. He not only shows me things I need to address in my life, but it is amazing how he will spark a creative idea or help me 'fix' a problem I have been having with something I wanted to create.

Why is it that those quieter moments of the night are the times he speaks the loudest? The answer is in the first part of that question - we are finally quiet, and we are more apt to listen! Try as we might in our 'quiet time' with him each day, it is harder to get our minds to 'quiet down'. In the wee hours of the night when we are awakened and 'sleepless', it is dark, there are no 'extra distractions' to lure us away, and we find our minds are a bit less 'cluttered' with all the issues of the day.

I learned quite some time back to ask God why I was awake. It isn't a complaint I throw his way, but rather a simple request to see if there is a particular something he needs me to pay attention to in those quiet hours. It might be something about how I have been behaving, what I have been doing, or even something totally unrelated to me at all. He sometimes just asks me to pray - for you, for my family, the nation, or someone who I don't even know, but who needs prayers lifted on their behalf. 

It may not be prayer that is needed - it could be he wants to show you a solution that has previously eluded your thoughts because of all the chaos of the moment. I find God helps me come up with creative solutions, ideas for how to proceed with a project, and even gives me new ideas I had never considered. How about you? Have you noticed similar things happening in those 'awake' moments in the night? Maybe these are the moments that help us grow the most. Just sayin!