Is there anything more boring/annoying than being on hold? Waiting... waiting... waiting... You have issues to resolve, and you're stuck with the cell sitting on your desk on speakerphone, and you're waiting for someone to pick up your line and finally begin the painful process of getting an answer.
Waiting... waiting... waiting...
My life is on hold right now. I know what the problem is, and I know what the answer is, but I'm still stuck here waiting. Come on customer service. Pick up, work your magic, and we'll be done with it. Then I can continue on with my crazy life! Being on hold is annoying. Boring. Frustrating. Transforming. Wait, what?!? Transforming? Ok that's a stretch. It usually isn't, but it can be.
Wait for it... wait for it...
w a i t
f o r
i t
. . .
"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him." (Psalm 37:7)
"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." (Romans 8:25)
Wait.
Patiently.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Listen!!!
"God, speak to me. I want to hear your voice. Give me guidance. Give me direction. I believe you want to communicate with your people. Speak to me, God."
I began repeating this prayer about six weeks ago. I'd hate to see the wax on the Q-tip God used to open up my ears. Must've been pretty nasty. But He's speaking to me now and directing me through His Word, radio stations, sermons, friends and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Many of my encounters with God in the past month have been so clearly Him, that they would fit perfectly into the plot of a cheesy Christian movie. Even now, as I think about these experiences, I have to pinch myself... make sure I'm not going to wake up from this fairytale. I'm wondering how long God has been trying to speak to me... if my ears have just been closed this whole time...
God is speaking to me. He answered my prayer, and He has revealed Himself to me more personally than ever. That's the awesome part.
Then there's the scary part. I'm not sure I want to hear what He's had to say. I feel like the crowd following Jesus when He spoke about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. "Man, this teaching is tough to accept." Most people leave when God starts this sort of crazy talk. And now I'm in a place where I'm being asked, "What? Are you gonna ditch me too?" ... ... ... "Where else could I go, Lord?" ... that should be my response. Instead, this: "But what if... ? God, have you thought about this... ? Are you sure?"
God, increase our trust in you each day. Thank you for going on ahead of us. Thank you for speaking to us. Open our ears that we may hear you. Strengthen our will that we may follow you. Amen.
I began repeating this prayer about six weeks ago. I'd hate to see the wax on the Q-tip God used to open up my ears. Must've been pretty nasty. But He's speaking to me now and directing me through His Word, radio stations, sermons, friends and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Many of my encounters with God in the past month have been so clearly Him, that they would fit perfectly into the plot of a cheesy Christian movie. Even now, as I think about these experiences, I have to pinch myself... make sure I'm not going to wake up from this fairytale. I'm wondering how long God has been trying to speak to me... if my ears have just been closed this whole time...
God is speaking to me. He answered my prayer, and He has revealed Himself to me more personally than ever. That's the awesome part.
Then there's the scary part. I'm not sure I want to hear what He's had to say. I feel like the crowd following Jesus when He spoke about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. "Man, this teaching is tough to accept." Most people leave when God starts this sort of crazy talk. And now I'm in a place where I'm being asked, "What? Are you gonna ditch me too?" ... ... ... "Where else could I go, Lord?" ... that should be my response. Instead, this: "But what if... ? God, have you thought about this... ? Are you sure?"
I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. (John 10:1-4)My hesitation frustrates me... one DUMB sheep! That's me! Abraham didn't hesitate. God saw his faith and chalked one up for righteousness.
God, increase our trust in you each day. Thank you for going on ahead of us. Thank you for speaking to us. Open our ears that we may hear you. Strengthen our will that we may follow you. Amen.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
onedumbsheep Returns
"'Return to me, and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty" ~ Malachi 3:7
I'm baaaaaaaack! Haha! Watchoo gonna do now?
Less importantly, I've returned to blogging. Who knows how long it will stick, and who cares if anyone is listening, but I'm back. Ok... I care... at least a little. I care about publicly sharing my walk with God. I care about encouraging anyone who stumbles on this blog with God's Word. I care about following God's leading. I care about allowing God to awaken and sharpen my creativity through writing. But I don't care about having a following or impressing anyone.
More importantly, I've returned to God. I've done a 180. I've repented. I've told God, "Whatever. Whenever. Wherever. Talk to me." And He's answered as loud and clear as ever. He's rejuvenated me, and now I'm on a mission. Not a mission to accomplish. Not a mission to do. A mission to be. A mission to follow. A mission to simply walk with God. A mission to trust His leading.
John 10. If you're familiar with the Bible, you're familiar with the passage. But maybe you haven't really thought about this part. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, goes on ahead of you. Have you ever thought about that? You've been given visuals of walking alongside Jesus or being carried by Him (ie, footprints in the sand), both encouraging at times, but have you ever thought about Him going on ahead of you? Knowing He's your guide and He's preparing the way for you should make the whole following thing a lot easier. How comforting is it to know that the God of the universe goes on ahead of us?!?
So I'm back. I've returned. And He's held up His end of the bargain too.
I'm baaaaaaaack! Haha! Watchoo gonna do now?
Less importantly, I've returned to blogging. Who knows how long it will stick, and who cares if anyone is listening, but I'm back. Ok... I care... at least a little. I care about publicly sharing my walk with God. I care about encouraging anyone who stumbles on this blog with God's Word. I care about following God's leading. I care about allowing God to awaken and sharpen my creativity through writing. But I don't care about having a following or impressing anyone.
More importantly, I've returned to God. I've done a 180. I've repented. I've told God, "Whatever. Whenever. Wherever. Talk to me." And He's answered as loud and clear as ever. He's rejuvenated me, and now I'm on a mission. Not a mission to accomplish. Not a mission to do. A mission to be. A mission to follow. A mission to simply walk with God. A mission to trust His leading.
John 10. If you're familiar with the Bible, you're familiar with the passage. But maybe you haven't really thought about this part. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, goes on ahead of you. Have you ever thought about that? You've been given visuals of walking alongside Jesus or being carried by Him (ie, footprints in the sand), both encouraging at times, but have you ever thought about Him going on ahead of you? Knowing He's your guide and He's preparing the way for you should make the whole following thing a lot easier. How comforting is it to know that the God of the universe goes on ahead of us?!?
So I'm back. I've returned. And He's held up His end of the bargain too.
God's Glory
To God be the glory.
It starts here.
It ends here.
Nothing we can say, do or think about is more important than this.
I hope my words reflect it. I hope my life reflects it. And when they don't, when it doesn't, I hope God puts me back into my place. He's the sun; the giver of light. I'm the moon; the reflector of His light. It's all about Him. It's not about me.
To God be the glory.
It starts here.
It ends here.
Nothing we can say, do or think about is more important than this.
I hope my words reflect it. I hope my life reflects it. And when they don't, when it doesn't, I hope God puts me back into my place. He's the sun; the giver of light. I'm the moon; the reflector of His light. It's all about Him. It's not about me.
To God be the glory.
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