Reminder to Listen

"But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm."

Proverbs 1:33 NLT

Some people call it their conscience; some that little voice. But those who are following after Christ know His voice. John 10:27 reads, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." How many times have we heard it? The suggestion in our mind, "I should call so-and-so and see what's going on in her life..." Then we call and she answers with a tear-filled voice, a voice that had just asked God to send someone who cares...

Isn't it inexplicably wonderful when that happens and you get to see the hand of God touch someone's life? I know the joy of that. However, I also know the pain of missing it because I'm too busy with stuff, or worse, I'm not listening...

The thought comes unbidden, "I should send a note to encourage him and tell him how cool it is to see his growth." Or we get the idea to hand somebody a little money and the whole time we're thinking, "I really can't afford this" or "I might run short this week" or "They don't look like they need it. What if they think I'm crazy or think I'm being prideful? God, they drive a better car than I do!..." And yet, you really feel like you're supposed to do it. So, you go and stammer a little, hem and haw, and finally say, "I think the Lord told me to give this to you..." And their eyes fill with tears as they clutch your hand and reply, "I had no lunch money for my child this week. I didn't know what I was going to do..."

So what will you do? “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts..." Hebrews 3:7b-8a

Prayer:

Father,
           In this lost and dying world, help us to listen with our hearts to hear Your voice and hasten to do Your will. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Like A Child

Then he said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.
Matthew 18:3-5 God's Word Translation

There's a little girl at my church named Shayla. Her mother is part of the Praise and Worship team. When the music starts, Shayla moves toward the front of the church and enters in with her whole heart (proof that children learn what they live). Yesterday, our pastor's wife asked Shayla to go up on the lower part of the stage to get a handheld microphone. She ran to do her bidding, slipped and slid into the corner, recovered, picked up the microphone, and ran back... and in those few seconds, she managed to deliver a complete illustration of God's expectation of us.

The pastor's wife asked Shayla to get the microphone, fully expecting that Shayla would and she did. Children rise to our expectation of them.

Shayla ran to do her bidding, slipped, fell, and got back up to run back to her - mission accomplished.

And in that instant, I felt God speak to my heart, "Oh, that ALL my children would run to do what I ask them to do! And if they slip and fall, just get back up and keep going, then run back to Me!"

I was convicted to my toes! How often do we - as adults - stand and argue with God? Debating because we'd rather do things our own way or not at all?

Prayer:

O Father!
            Forgive us for all the times we did not hasten to do Your bidding! Break the rebellious spirit in us and deliver us into Your light. Father, may we be like children who RUN to do whatever You ask of us, no matter what! Create in us clean hands and a pure heart, we pray in Jesus' Name. Amen