Promise for Today - Out of Tune

And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 NLT

As Christians, we want to be in tune with the Father. We want to hear the beauty of His Words, His melodies, His peace in our hearts and minds. We have an expectation of how He will sound. However, we don't always utilize the right tools. Sometimes, we hear about the latest, greatest book with a message and decide we need to read it. And sometimes, we've only allotted so much time during our day to read, so we read that book in place of our Bible, instead of reading it along with our Bible. And before you know it, we're out of tune. We're out of tune with the Spirit. We're out of tune with each other. And that truly is awful!

Nothing can take the place of God's Word, nor should it. That's not to say that other books are not good; they can be and often are! But NOTHING should take the place of God's Word in our lives. Not being in tune with Him is the worst...

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for working all things for our good. Reveal Your wisdom to us and grant us revelation and understanding according to Your Word. We want to be in tune with You and in harmony with each other. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Getting In Tune

But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.
John 10:2-4 NTL

At the turn of the century (this one - I've always wanted to use that phrase - LOL),  I worked as an assistant for a man who was brilliant and gifted, but very scattered. My job was not to keep him organized, but to bring organization to his creative chaos. No small task. It took me a while to get the flow of it, but by God's grace and design, I was able to do it. 

My desk was literally two feet outside of his window office. I rearranged it so that when I was at my computer, I could also see him in his office, to observe his work habits and idiosyncrasies. I learned what to expect during specific tasks and could prepare accordingly to have what he needed within his grasp when he needed it. I studied him because - technically speaking - he was my job. After awhile, I could tell what he was looking for just by the way he moved and could anticipate what he would ask for by the way he called my name. He didn't have to call me twice. I could be in the middle of a conversation and I would put it on hold or call them back if I heard or saw he was beckoning. I was in tune to his work needs. 

I have several comic strip clips on my refrigerator. One is a picture of little Billy from Bill Keane's Family Circus ©. He's kneeling by his bed to say his prayers and the caption reads, "Make me be good. And if you don't get through to me the first time, please keep trying 'til I answer." You might be asking yourself, "What does that have to do with being in tune with your boss?" So, I'll tell you...

Confession... Recently, during worship, we sang a song called "Whisper His Name" and during the course of it, I was struck again with the overwhelming reality that God - Creator of the Universe - will answer when I call. Then I was dumbstruck and pierced in my heart with the reality that I did not respond in kind because I have allowed complacency to slip in. 

How many times has God asked something of me and I did not answer? Too many times I have thought, "In a minute, God, just let me finish this..." How and why would I say that to a KING - and not just A king - but the King of kings?!?  I thought about the Billy comic strip and somehow, I don't think that's what God had in mind when He said we need to come as a child. Then I thought about my former boss and I realized I must rearrange my focus to be that intent on GOD - studying, watching, listening, anticipating, and responding. If I'm not in tune with God, how will I hear Him when He calls us home?

Prayer:

Father,
         Forgive me for allowing complacency and distractions to rule, I only want ONE King, One God, One Lord, You. You are all I need. Help me to stay focused and in tune with You. In Jesus' Name I pray.  Amen