How exhilirating to know that there is Someone much bigger than you or I who can handle everything. Maybe that's why Psalm 46:10 says, Be still and know that I am GOD!
Could it be that in stillness, solitude, even silence, the answers we need come to us? Could this be when we take our eyes off of ourselves with all of our worrying and toiling and thinking and just stop and rest in the omnipotent, omniscient Creator?
Lately, my prayer time has become one of silence. No words, no requests, sometimes even no praise or worship, just silence so that I can hear. Sometimes He speaks and sometimes He doesn't and that's ok. This is very different for me having come from a place where I was taught that I had to move God's hands through prayer, praise and worship. I didn't know what it meant to be still before God. I didn't know what it meant to just chill out and see what God was doing.
Now, don't get me wrong, I believe there is much power in praise. Praise is often the very thing needed to lift us up out of ourselves and remind us Who is on the throne. But at the same time, there is power in stillness.
One life saving skill I learned as a preschool teacher was that if you needed to get the attention of a classroom of noisy children, the key was not to yell or try and raise your voice over theirs, but to speak softly so that they automatically had to quiet down in order to hear what you were saying.
I wonder if God knew this all along. The louder we get, the quieter He becomes until it finally (hopefully) dawns on us to be still and attune our ears.
Here's to you, happy quiet!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Horse or Heir?
Psalm 32:8- I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with Mine eye upon you. Be not like the horse or the mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you.
Don't be like an animal or beast of burden that refuses to move unless forced to. A horse is controlled by its owner with the use of a metal mouthpiece and headgear. God says He will counsel, urge, encourage and direct us with His eyes upon us. He will educate, enlighten, edify and guide us in the way that we should go. He expects us to respond promptly to Him of our own accord and not because we are forced to. God does not force us to do anything. His is a gentle prodding, a gentle leading from within. Sadly, many of us do not respond until we are knocked upside the head or faced with calamity and then we say, "Oh, maybe God's trying to tell me something."
Why do we prefer chaos over peace?
We call ourselves children of God. Why then do we find it so hard to hear and respond to His voice? Imagine calling out to your child and never getting a response or as a parent watching your child stumble and fall continuously because they refuse to hear you, to heed your counsel, your advice, and benefit from your experiences? Imagine then how God feels....
Perhaps the sound of God's voice is foreign to us because we've never spent time with Him to be familiar with it. Perhaps God assumed we would recognize His voice because as His children we would want to intimately know Him as He knows us.
It probably sounds odd to even fathom that God wants to reveal Himself to us. For many of us based on our religious upbringing and conditioning, we see Him as a dictator not at all interested in us or our well-being. But, He's not. God is love.
The question is when will you open your ears to hear and having heard, obey?
Don't be like an animal or beast of burden that refuses to move unless forced to. A horse is controlled by its owner with the use of a metal mouthpiece and headgear. God says He will counsel, urge, encourage and direct us with His eyes upon us. He will educate, enlighten, edify and guide us in the way that we should go. He expects us to respond promptly to Him of our own accord and not because we are forced to. God does not force us to do anything. His is a gentle prodding, a gentle leading from within. Sadly, many of us do not respond until we are knocked upside the head or faced with calamity and then we say, "Oh, maybe God's trying to tell me something."
Why do we prefer chaos over peace?
We call ourselves children of God. Why then do we find it so hard to hear and respond to His voice? Imagine calling out to your child and never getting a response or as a parent watching your child stumble and fall continuously because they refuse to hear you, to heed your counsel, your advice, and benefit from your experiences? Imagine then how God feels....
Perhaps the sound of God's voice is foreign to us because we've never spent time with Him to be familiar with it. Perhaps God assumed we would recognize His voice because as His children we would want to intimately know Him as He knows us.
It probably sounds odd to even fathom that God wants to reveal Himself to us. For many of us based on our religious upbringing and conditioning, we see Him as a dictator not at all interested in us or our well-being. But, He's not. God is love.
The question is when will you open your ears to hear and having heard, obey?
A Backward Glance
Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also- Matthew 6:21
The bible story of Lot's wife depicts, perhaps in a very exaggerated sense, what can happen when a person refuses to leave the past behind. In this account, an angel sent by God warned Lot about the destruction that God was preparing to unleash upon Sodom and Gomorrah because of the wickedness in the land (Genesis 19). Lot's family was to escape for their lives and not look back. Unfortunately, Lot's wife looked back from behind him and became a pillar of salt(verse 26). Her desire to remain literally immobilized her.
Oftentimes moving forward can be difficult. Life brings change and newness that we may not welcome. A few years ago, my family and I relocated from the east to the west coast. Although I was excited about starting a new life in a brand new place, I was terrified. All my life, I'd lived in one place surrounded by family and friends and was quite comfortable. Nevertheless, we took a step of faith and made the move. Outwardly, I said goodbye to my former life but inwardly I longed for what was and I resisted my new surroundings. I did not want to relinquish the old without knowing what the new would bring. My eyes and my heart remained fixed on what I'd left behind. I knew that I needed to shut the door to my past and turn with hope and expectancy toward my future. That knowing didn't happen overnight and some days were better than other days. But when I decided to let go and let God show me His goodness, His faithfulness and the immense blessing the move brought, not only to me but to my family as well, I couldn't help but give Him praise!
Like the angel who went before Lot's family to lead them to safety, I knew that God would go before us to prepare our path. Our part was to follow His lead and trust Him.
Remember, God never called us to do this life on our own. He is able and willing to help us. But, it's as you go that the way opens up for you and your next step is revealed.
Peace.
The bible story of Lot's wife depicts, perhaps in a very exaggerated sense, what can happen when a person refuses to leave the past behind. In this account, an angel sent by God warned Lot about the destruction that God was preparing to unleash upon Sodom and Gomorrah because of the wickedness in the land (Genesis 19). Lot's family was to escape for their lives and not look back. Unfortunately, Lot's wife looked back from behind him and became a pillar of salt(verse 26). Her desire to remain literally immobilized her.
Oftentimes moving forward can be difficult. Life brings change and newness that we may not welcome. A few years ago, my family and I relocated from the east to the west coast. Although I was excited about starting a new life in a brand new place, I was terrified. All my life, I'd lived in one place surrounded by family and friends and was quite comfortable. Nevertheless, we took a step of faith and made the move. Outwardly, I said goodbye to my former life but inwardly I longed for what was and I resisted my new surroundings. I did not want to relinquish the old without knowing what the new would bring. My eyes and my heart remained fixed on what I'd left behind. I knew that I needed to shut the door to my past and turn with hope and expectancy toward my future. That knowing didn't happen overnight and some days were better than other days. But when I decided to let go and let God show me His goodness, His faithfulness and the immense blessing the move brought, not only to me but to my family as well, I couldn't help but give Him praise!
Like the angel who went before Lot's family to lead them to safety, I knew that God would go before us to prepare our path. Our part was to follow His lead and trust Him.
Remember, God never called us to do this life on our own. He is able and willing to help us. But, it's as you go that the way opens up for you and your next step is revealed.
Peace.
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