I'm Listening

Speak Lord, your servant is listening.  Samuel 3:9

I am 20 days into my 30 minutes for 30 days challenge and every day there is a little something that settles into my mind or heart.  Along with those four lines; wreck me, break me, change me, draw me tight I often find myself asking, “Lord, what was I born to do?”  That seems like a strange question for someone my age but it’s been a good one to ponder. I haven’t had that experience of hearing the voice of God speak like James Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman but he’s sent me some thoughts through the most random places.  I thought I’d share three of my favorites.

One day I was thinking about heaven and what was truly required to get there.  I realized that sometimes I have a “minimum requirement” way of thinking.  I know we’re all busy and we’re encouraged to live our best life but I spent some time asking the questions in my mind and heart.  Less than an hour after leaving church I came across this quote that seemed pretty direct. “ We often hear life is short better enjoy it. But how about eternity is long better prepare for it.” That advanced my thoughts beyond minimum requirements.

A couple of days later I was feeling like I should be “doing” something during these 30 minutes.  I should be reading Scripture or praying or studying or pouring out my heart to the Lord.  I was having a hard time just being still and listening.  I actually left the church that day saying, “Lord if this is really what I’m supposed to be doing I need you to let me know that you want me to keep it up.”  I came home, opened up my computer and came across this quote from Fulton Sheen. “Most commit the same mistake with God they commit with their friends; they do all the talking.”  That was pretty clear so I absolutely went back the next day!

The third very vivid way He made his point came after three days of wrestling with the “break me” part of my prayer.  I asked Him to show me all the things that I needed Him to break away from my heart and my habits. He showed me a whole list of things and I began to justify and realized this was going to take a lot of work, prayer and discipline on my part.  I thought about changes but they were small because I didn’t want to get too uncomfortable.  I didn’t want to make things too hard and I was all about the small steps approach.  I knew this part of the prayer would take a whole lot of work and again I began to justify and ask the question, “Ok God, seriously, that isn’t that bad right?”  The very next day this is what I came across while working on a retreat I will be giving in a couple of weeks.  “Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sins, they just want to be saved from the penalty of their sins.”  I think I’m going to have to turn up the heat!

He's making it pretty clear that He’s listening…now to get down to the business of putting his direction into action.

A Seed To Plant:  Be intentional in your prayer this week and spend more time asking God a question and then really being quiet to hear the answer.
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 Blessings on your day!