Tag Archives: Listening for God

Listening to God

Living in the Spirit

August 9, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 14:22-33
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

Before Jesus walked on the water, he dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. There is nothing we do in life that is more important than maintaining open communication with God. While it may be helpful for us to lay before God all our frustrations and fears, desires, and hopes, even request, it is more essential for us to be still and listen to God. Let God guide us in unwinding the chaos of our lives and find the path to wholeness, oneness, and Justice.

In times like these you need a Savior
In times like these you need an anchor
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock

Refrain
This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One
This Rock is Jesus, the only One
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock

Prayer: Lord, open our minds to your guidance. Help us to hear when you speak, to act when you call us to service, and to do all things to your glory. Amen.

*First verse and refrain of In Times Like These by Ruth C. Jones see at https://hymnary.org/text/in_times_like_these_you_need_a_savior

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Choose God

Cropped-Still-Small-VoiceLiving in the Spirit
August 24, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 81:1, 10-16

I am the Lord your God,
   who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
   Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.  

‘But my people did not listen to my voice;
   Israel would not submit to me.
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
   to follow their own counsels.
O that my people would listen to me,
   that Israel would walk in my ways! –Psalm 81:10-13

I suppose, in the final analysis, we all follow our own counsel. We choose whether we will follow God or not. It is hard to hear God’s still, small voice when we live in a cacophony of noise often joining in the hubbub ourselves. I feed on the news most of the time but more and more I do not know who I can trust and get frustrated at the media’s need to harp and harp on the same stale stories while failing to ask the questions that need answering.

Years ago while swimming with friends, someone pushed me off the side of the pool into the deep end. Caught off guard, I flailed frantically with my arms until someone grasped my hand and pulled me to the edge of the pool only inches away. I sense our society is flailing about in that same fear of loss of control when the one who can save us has been there all along.

The history of God’s creating, rescuing, challenging, and loving is as old as time. We would do well to remind ourselves of that in the midst of the chaos of life.

Prayer: Lord, you did give us ears to hear, grant us the discernment to listen for your voice and heed what you tell us. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Listening for God

today-i-will-listen-for-your-voice-300x300Living in the Spirit
July 20, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 85

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
   for he will speak peace to his people,
   to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
   that his glory may dwell in our land. –Psalm 85:8-9

We tell God a lot of things about what God needs to do. Scriptures seem to indicate that God grows weary of such speech particularly when we fail to reciprocate in dialogue. Words of hate are not of God. Neither are words of privilege and exceptionalism. Perhaps rather than giving God our daily instructions, our time might be better spent listening to the Lord’s guidance. While hate is the symptom of our troubled minds, I believe fear is the disease.

I find it interesting and informative that when Paul encountered the living Christ on that now famous road to Damascus, he followed the event by visiting Jerusalem twice and even withdrawing for an extended time to Arabia. (Gal 1:11-2:21) He returned with a markedly different understanding of God’s mission for him that was his driving force for the rest of his life. Are we in the USA experiencing and equally confounding paradigm shift? Would we be better served and better servants if we, too, dedicated time to understanding our role in the world today?

Is it possible that our growth into a global community is just one more step toward God’s Kingdom? Does that indicate that God thinks we are ready to move out of our exclusiveness and join all at God’s table? The Hebrew Bible speaks of the Israelites as God’s Chosen People. We would do well to remember that neither our ancestors in faith, nor we who follow in their wake, were set apart as a privilege, but as a calling to be a blessing to all nations including our own.

Prayer: Lord, when we tremble at a loss for understanding, remind us of your abiding presence; when we base our self-worth on being better than others, forgive us and make us whole; when we drift off the path of your loving ways, lead us back toward justice and mercy. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Communing with God

Joshua scriptureLent
February 10, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

For he will command his angels concerning you
   to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
   so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
   the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

Those who love me, I will deliver;
   I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
   I will be with them in trouble,
   I will rescue them and honor them.
With long life I will satisfy them,
   and show them my salvation. –Psalm 91:11-16

I have dashed my foot against the stone and it hurt. Left me with a permanent scar. So what is the Psalmist trying to tell us here? God is neither Superman or Supergirl. We have probably all longed for a caped avenger swooping down from the sky to lift us out of the muck and mire in which we find ourselves. Sometimes we are there as a result of our own miss steps, sometimes we are caught unaware by outside forces over which we have no control, and sometimes we are paying the price for society’s ills that we all have ignored and failed to correct.

When we place our trust in God, love God, the Lord always answers. I have been very frustrated lately sending emails that I think require a response to help me know how to continue on a project and I get no responses. Now I am trying to figure out if my messages are getting through but my first thought was that they just were not being answered. This can certainly happen with God. I think though more often than not, I have so much noise going on in my head that I could not hear God’s answer when God makes it.

What the Psalmist promises is that God’s abiding presence is always with us and will always be with us. When we turn the noise down we just might hear the response. More often than not, the response is guidance in how we can change to effect a better outcome in what we are trying to accomplish.

Prayer: God of Mercy, forgive me when I play my anger, frustration, hurt feelings, and more, so loudly I cannot comprehend your guidance. Help me turn that noise down and listen more intently for your voice. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.