In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3 NIV
Being “here” or in the here and now is often a challenge…we live in a nutty world, running at the speed of light for 25 hours a day. OK, I exaggerate a bit, but really, we seldom take the time to truly smell the roses or notice the little blessings we encounter every day.
I have to admit I like being busy. Sitting quietly is not my strength. But sometimes God gives us a time out in which to rest…you know, a little back strain to limit our activity. An illness or injury makes us slow down and enjoy the warmth and comfort of home while someone else does the housework. A storm that leaves inches of snow keeps us homebound until it’s plowed. A power outage left us only candles and battery-operated lights. And, of course, the loss of someone we love.
Recent losses in our church have left us with a big hole in our hearts. Familiar voices we won’t hear again, eyes sparkling with a little bit of mischief but also lots of love, stories from times past, and plans for the future. It hurts when our plans are changed forever, yet during the grieving, we find quiet times in which to seek the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The ability to be still is truly a blessing. I’m learning, albeit slowly and sometimes painfully, that stillness is not a punishment. It’s an opportunity to connect or reconnect with Jesus, to rest completely under the sheltering wings of the Almighty.
In the midst of your daily storms…make it a point to be still and set your sights on Him.
Max Lucado, God Is With You Everyday
Some people can hear God speak. I can’t say I’ve ever heard a voice that I believed to be God enunciating words in a conversational manner. With me, it’s more like a gentle breeze ruffling my hair when there has been no breeze at all. It catches my attention and I wonder, “Is that you, Lord? What are you trying to tell me?“ Or I may have a very vivid dream, tossing and turning until it wakes me. And that dream may offer me a point of reference from which to write. And I just say, “OK, Lord. Message received.” Sometimes, those messages hit me like the proverbial two by four, while at other times, he really makes me search for them. But I do believe that it’s in the stillness, the middle of the night or when I’m sitting alone on the deck, that I’m most likely to experience a disturbance in the routine of daily living that feels like God is trying to communicate.
We’ve all had moments and situations when we’re about to do something that we know would be against God’s will for us, and something tells us to stop. Most people call it a conscience. I see it as a message from The Holy Spirit reminding us of whose we are.
Be still, and know that I am God! Psalm 46:10
However you prefer to communicate, don’t neglect to do it. It’s those conversations in the stillness of your night, or day, that keep you close to Jesus. And when the inevitable storms of life, whether physical or emotional, keep you awake, use that stillness, that absence of activity, as a perfect opportunity to talk with him. If you seek Him, He will hear you, and in His good timing, he will answer.
Speak to me now, Lord, and make your voice crystal clear. May it never
be said of my life that I almost listened & almost followed.
I will follow. Max Lucado (On Calvary’s Hill)
