between beginning and end…
But My people would not heed My voice,
And Israel would have none of Me.
So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels.
Oh, that My people would listen to Me,
That Israel would walk in My ways!Psalm 81:11-13
Do we hear his heart? His longing for those will listen to Him? Will we be the ones to say yes? The ones to listen?
This is Day 18 of the series 31 Days to Listen.
This is Day 2 of 31 Days to Listen, and already I need to remind myself of why I’m doing this. Already I am guilty of bringing my ‘to do’ list to God.
I’m listening Lord. I have a post to write, please tell me what to say.
How did I let that happen? How did I reduce this precious gift, this invitation into his heart, to “please fill my order and I’ll be on my way”? What makes me think that I would truly be satisfied with what he gives from his hand, when I’m being offered what he holds in his heart?
Forgive me Lord, and draw me back to you. It’s you I seek, your face. Whatever that looks like in my life, I want you, your presence. I want that peace, that knowing in the stillness of my heart. I belong to you.
Whatever else I do in my life needs to flow from knowing you, walking with you.
That’s why I want to listen.
If you want to see what others are writing every day in October, check out Write31Days.com.
The God-whisper:
Learn how to listen.
Make time to listen.
Be intentional about listening.
Give honour and respect, don’t bring your own agenda.
This is not just about getting instructions for the next thing to do.
This is about relationship, knowing, intimacy.
This is about heart-sharing.
This is about transformation.
That was over two years ago. I was asking the Lord how to foster a more intimate relationship with him. Slowly, I’ve been learning; inclining my ear towards him.
And still He whispers, “Listen.”
The truth is that while there have been wonderful moments of listening and receiving, I’ve also been dodging and weaving, ducking and diving.
I want to share my heart with you, but you need to listen.
The truth is that I haven’t trusted his heart for me. I’ve too often tightened my grip on my own agenda. And I’ve been afraid of what I might hear.
The truth is that his love is unfailing.
His faithfulness is unwavering.
His grace and mercy are unmatched.
His gentleness is unsurpassed.
And I am his beloved.
“Listen.”
An intimate relationship is only possible if I will listen. This is the path set before me. The invitation.
As we enter into a new year, this is the path I choose. To listen to his word, his voice, his heart, his creation.
I want to find out what happens when my first priority is to listen.
What is God whispering to you?
Image sourced here.
Beauty gets me. Sometimes it just makes me smile. Sometimes it feels like my heart is expanding inside my chest. Sometimes it just leaves me open-mouthed in wonder. And just occasionally it even brings me to tears.
I don’t mean magazine-cover or movie-star beauty. Who knows how much of that is real anyway? I mean the beauty of a sunrise, a smile lighting up the face of a child, a blue fairy wren hopping from reed to reed, the breeze against your skin on a warm summer day, birds singing in the trees, rays of light breaking through storm clouds.
From the power of a waterfall to the fragility of a butterfly, beauty is all around us if only we would notice it.
The beauty in us and around us reflects the glorious beauty of God. We desire beauty and appreciate it because we’re made in his image – beautiful. And we express it with words and through things like art, music and dance. We express it with our actions. Today I watched a father guide his small son safely across the road; a small hand enveloped in a larger one. And it was beautiful.
Don’t neglect beauty, it’s essential. Beauty nourishes the soul. Beauty helps us to delight in the One who made us beautiful. Look for it wherever you go, whatever you’re doing. Our world may be filled with misery and ugliness, but there is still so much beauty to behold. Let beauty move you, let it inspire you, let it fill you with wonder, let it draw you closer to God. Let it remind you that the best is yet to come.
I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.
~Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl
“…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8 NIV)
Where do you find beauty, and what does it mean for you?
Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Flourish! 