Stop, Look and Listen

He walks ahead of them, 

and they follow him because they know his voice.

John 10:4 (NLT)

They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. 

My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

John 10:9-10 (NLT)

God is so gracious to lead us in all our ways.  He is interested in every aspect of our lives, great and small.  He came to give us a rich and satisfying life and desires that our days be filled with blessings, peace and joy.  There are many things in our lives that can rob us of these blessings, things that can steal our peace and our joy. 

Sometimes I don't listen.  I might feel him leading in a certain direction but for whatever reason - either I am not being assertive enough or I’m distracted or I think it won't matter much -  I can get into trouble.  My day becomes too complicated with too many things to do or I simply go in the wrong direction and get robbed of peace.  God being a God of peace is interested in our living an orderly life.  If we try to cram too many things into too little time we can become frustrated, anxious and stretched to the limit.  When we feel stressed because we haven't accomplished everything on our list it is a sign of our control rather than God's.  We can accomplish all he has for us to do if we will allow him to be the Lord of our time. We may need to eliminate unnecessary and draining activities to make room for more fulfilling and satisfying ones.

We can enjoy each moment and accomplish all in a peaceful and orderly manner if we will just listen.  Are we living in his presence in the moment and enjoying what he has given us?  If not, it might be time to stop, look and listen.  STOP what we are doing.  LOOK around at what he has put in front of us.  LISTEN for his voice directing us.  When we stop, look, and listen we open ourselves to experience the full and abundant life he has promised.

I will teach all your children,

 and they will enjoy great peace.

Isaiah 54:13 (NLT)

Gentleness

Thy gentleness hath made me great.

Psalms 18:35 (KJV)

 By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you.

2 Cor 10:1 (NIV)

Snow!  Here we were expecting a torrential downpour to test our new driveway and what do we get?  Snow! Snow coming down in soft fluffy flakes.   

Elijah may have expected to see God’s power in a dramatic way.  He thought God was in the wind, in the earthquake or in the fire, but God came unexpectedly in a still small voice, in a whisper like the softly falling snow. 

Hesed, the Hebrew word used for God’s love, is usually translated loving- kindness - a beautiful picture of the way in which God demonstrates his love toward us.  He comes to us not in harshness, but with a gentle spirit. In his great strength he exhibits meekness -  the quality of strength under control.

Jesus demonstrated such great affection and kindness that people were not afraid to bring their little children to him. He is gentle and humble and we, too, should not be afraid to bring all of ourselves to him.  There we will find rest in his gentleness and strength. 

And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by,

 and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain.

 It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose,

 but the Lord was not in the wind.

 After the wind there was an earthquake, 

but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 

And after the earthquake there was a fire,

 but the Lord was not in the fire.

 And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

1 Kings 19:11-12 (NLT)

Opportunities

The New Driveway

When troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:2-4 (NLT)

A storm is on the way!  Now we will see if our new driveway will stand the test.

Three Biblical writers (James, Peter & Paul) exhort us to look at the storms and trials of our lives with joy and to endure them with patience because it is storms and trials that provide opportunities for growth and spur us on toward maturity.  Our goal as Christians is to grow into maturity, to grow in love, to grow into his image. 

No matter what comes against us, what difficulties and disagreements we face, trials present for us opportunities. Every test is an opportunity to trust God or to trust in ourselves.  Tests can give rise to opportunities to assert self-will, to become resentful or angry, fearful or anxious.  But they also provide opportunity to throw ourselves completely on God and trust that he will work it for good. 

As we grow we come to realize that no matter what difficulties we face his love will win.  We see that difficulties are the breeding ground for new hope and new love. Every trial becomes an opportunity to surrender our way to God's, to present ourselves as vessels of his love trusting that his love will never fail.

There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT)

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials,

 for we know that they help us develop endurance.

And endurance develops strength of character, 

and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

Romans 5:3-5 (NLT)

Go With the Flow

 

We hiked to the Verde River.

 

 

So where the river flows everything will live.

Ezek 47:9 (NIV)

We are doing some grading work on our property.  Since water always seeks the lowest place, the land has to be carefully sloped so that the water will flow in the right places.  If not controlled properly, it will go where we don’t want it to go, washing out the driveway or pooling around the house.  The test will come this summer when the powerful desert monsoon rains come. 

God’s spirit is like powerful flowing water that cannot be controlled no matter how big our equipment may be.  No matter how we might try to resist, to change its direction or dam it up, it will always break out and continue to flow in its appointed course.

I like to have a schedule.  I often have my day planned, what I want to work on, what I would like to accomplish for the day.   When things don’t seem to happen according to my plan or someone else’s agenda interferes with mine, I become discontent and struggle to divert the flow in my direction.

I am learning it is better to go with the flow.  Our schedule or our agenda may not be what God has planned for our day.  Even things we consider good, things we think God would want us to do, like Bible study or prayer, may get interrupted.  He wants us to be prepared to go with the flow of each day with an attitude of love and joy, praising and thanking him for whatever comes our way. 

The main focus and desire of his spirit is to bring joy, peace and blessing into every low place, every dry place, every place of need.  What a joy to accept each day as it comes ready to bless and give of ourselves to each person God has placed in our path.  God is interested in our plans, but he is most concerned with shedding his love abroad.  His river will continue to flow to the lowest places filling all the empty spots with his love.  As we go with the flow we will be available to provide refreshing living water where ever that river may take us.

 "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 

streams of living water will flow from within him."

John 7:37-38 (NIV)

Wide

There's a wideness in God's mercy like the wideness of the sea.

 How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.

Eph 3:18 (NIV) 

God's love is much wider than we can comprehend.  It reaches everywhere.  Jesus has filled the entire universe with himself.  That encompasses everything in our lives; the good, the bad, and the ugly.  God can use anything and anyone to fulfill his plans and purposes. He is lord of it all. 

So many times we do not understand God's ways.  We tend to have a narrow perspective, often seeing things from a negative point of view.  We think, “God can't possibly use that person. Look how they live,” or “This circumstance seems so devastating.  How could God ever use it?”  The Jews did not recognize Jesus when he came because he did not fit their mold. (John 1:10,11 & Romans 10:3) Sometimes God comes to us in unexpected ways.  If our view is narrow and we think God only works in certain ways, we may miss what he has for us.  Receiving from God always involves surrender of our own ways so that we can open up to his.  It is not easy, but it is the way of growth. 

Every surrender brings more freedom and broadens and expands our reach.  Laying down our lives, surrendering our will to God’s, opens us up to a wider world. When we are stuck in our own ideas and agenda we are limited, but when we surrender our plans and ideas and ask only for God's will we are opened up to many more opportunities and possibilities.  Don’t let the surface scare you.  There could be much more in the depth.

His imagination is infinitely broader and wider than ours.  He can accomplish much more than we might ask or even think. This is the greatness of our God.  So, let’s let go of our puny agenda and open up to all he desires to accomplish in us.

Who ascended higher than all the heavens,

 so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

Eph 4:10 (NLT)

 He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Eph 3:20 (NLT)

If I forget . . . .

We heard this beautiful song sung by the Northwestern College Choir at our church on Friday evening.  Here are the lyrics attributed to Robert Browning.  Music composed by Craig Courtney.

If I forget, yet God remembers.

If these hands of mine cease from their clinging,

yet the Hands divine hold me so firmly I cannot fall.

And if sometimes I am too tired to call for Him to help me,

then He reads the prayer unspoken in my heart and lifts my care.

I dare not fear since certainly I know that I am in God's keeping,

shielded so, from all that else would harm,

and in the hour of stern temptation, strengthened by His power.

I tread no path in life to Him unknown;

I lift no burden, bear no pain, alone;

my soul a calm, sure hiding place has found:

the everlasting Arms my life surround.

God, Thou art love!  I build my faith on that.

I know Thee who has kept my path,

and made light for me in the darkness,

tempering sorrow so that it reached me like a solemn joy.

It were too strange that I should doubt Thy love.