Monthly Musings: Appreciating April

Before we move into May, here are a few things I’ve appreciated in April:

• Chris Tiegreen – I think Chris will be featuring here pretty much all year. Here’s my favourite (and challenging) quote from April (13):

If we want to hear God’s voice, we need to understand that He will not speak so definitely that no faith is required to follow; yet He will speak definitely enough for faith to have some direction. The key for us is to move forward when we think we’ve heard him. Some of us don’t do that. We wait until our hearts are absolutely certain – a waiting that never comes to an end because, underneath it, there is a fear of acting on faith. But God is looking not simply for our ability to hear. He wants a believing response.

• For a limited time only, the Hungry Hippo Board Game Cafe has set up shop in Hindley Street, Adelaide (next to Uni SA). The cafe has shelves and shelves of games to choose from, and plenty of options on the food menu too. If you like board games and a fun night out with friends this cafe is worth a visit.

• Apparently Google didn’t like my old blog theme – which it deemed as “not mobile friendly.” So Flourish! got a makeover with a theme called Penscratch. I rather like it and I hope you do too – especially if you’re reading from a mobile device.

• I was reminded how photography helps me to look at my surroundings differently, to pay attention and look for things I might not otherwise see in the busyness of life. And it’s a great way to slow down and just breathe.

• Last, but by no means least, I’ve been captivated by Jenn Johnson’s song In Over My Head. It’s on the Bethel Music worship album We Will Not Be Shaken which I mentioned in Monthly Musings for January. It’s a song that speaks to my heart and challenges me at the same time. Check out this video of Jenn talking about writing the song:

And here’s the whole song:

What did you appreciate in April?

“Are we there yet?” – Waiting on God

Anyone who’s ever travelled with children, knows how challenging that can be, especially over long distances. If you’ve watched and enjoyed Shrek 2 you’ll remember you’ll remember how Donkey produces that exquisite pain brought about by the familiar refrain, “Are we there yet?”

Even as adults, we’re not really that different from Donkey, are we?

Starting something new often brings with it a good degree of energy and enthusiasm. Be it a project, a relationship, a journey, or a dream; whatever it is, we have hopeful expectations of something good, great even. But somewhere along the way, if our expectations aren’t met, if things seem to be taking a lot longer than we anticipated, our attitude starts to change. We start asking the questions that seem to have no satisfactory answer.

Why is it taking so long? Why am I still waiting? Why is God holding out on me? How much longer? When?

We hate waiting. We hate waiting, especially in this age of technology, credit, fast food and instant gratification.

Nevertheless, waiting is a fact that none of us can avoid entirely. Recently the official teaser trailer for the new Star Wars movie was released on YouTube. Already it has been viewed over 38 million times. And all those millions of fans will have to wait until December 2015 when the movie is released. That’s a year of waiting.

Birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas are also events which require waiting (although perhaps not always with the same level of anticipation and excitement as one might for a wedding day, the birth of a baby, or the release of the third instalment of The Hobbit.)

At least with these events we know when they are coming. We have a date to look forward to. Years ago, a friend had a daily countdown to her wedding day. It was a one year engagement, and on any given day she could tell you how many sleeps were left before the wedding. My friend was anticipating the day she would walk down the aisle and say “I do.”

But what about those things we long for, where there is no date? When we have no idea how long the wait will be? That kind of waiting is hard, no question.

And in the midst of all this unwelcome waiting is the opportunity to wait on God. A “seek His face” kind of waiting. A listening kind of waiting. A worshipping kind of waiting. Waiting on God, and not just for God, takes us  into a whole new place in our relationship with him.

This is the beginning of a new series: “Waiting on God.” (My thanks to Alicia for the idea.) I hope you’ll join me for what I think will be a really interesting and challenging subject to explore. May we experience the wisdom and blessing of the Lord as we learn how to wait.

Photo Credit: alexcoitus via Compfight cc (title text added)

Waiting with Attitude

31 Days: It’s only the Beginning of Listening

Today brings us to the end of 31 Days to Listen, and I wanted to finish with the story of Samuel who was born as an answer to prayer and dedicated to serve God (1 Samuel 1, 2). He learned as a young boy to listen to the Lord.

1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-21 (NIV)

The Lord Calls Samuel

The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

…

The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

I love that Samuel is attentive and responsive. I love that the Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and that the Lord revealed himself to Samuel. The Lord of the Universe revealing himself to a man – what an incredible privilege.

The Lord is always looking for someone who will listen to Him. May we continue learning to recognise the Lord when he is calling us, and may we also be the ones who listen and follow Him.

This is Day 31 of 31 Days to Listen. Thank you for joining me on this challenge. I’ll be taking a rest from posting for a few days, but I would love to hear from you if you’ve enjoyed this focussed attention on one subject. If you would like another series (perhaps 2-3 posts each week) please drop me a note in the Comments section below.

31 Days: Listening to Jesus the Son

So here’s an interesting fact about sunflowers. When they’re growing, sunflowers tilt their heads to track the sun through the day. For that reason I’ve always liked the sunflower as an analogy for the way that we’re to turn our faces to the Son, to follow him.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-5, 14

 

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

Hebrews 1:1-3a

Every time we listen to what Jesus taught, we are hearing the voice of the living God.
…
The teachings of Jesus Christ are not to be blended into the Scriptures as though He were one of many equally important voices used by God. He is, in truth, the living revelation of God Himself, the sole expression of His invisible glory. When Christ speaks, we are listening to God unfiltered, unbiased, unveiled.

Francis Frangipane,  I will be Found by You

Will you come near to listen? Will you tilt your head to follow the Son, and listen to him?

Photo sourced here.

This is Day 30 of 31 Days to Listen.

31 Days: Listening to God speak through Others

Have you ever experienced God speaking to you specifically through another person? I have.

About tens years ago I was going through a period of real struggle over the fact that I was still single in my thirties. A good friend had been walking that journey with me, and as she was praying for me God gave her some verses of scripture and a word that he wanted me to ‘rejoice’ and ‘be joyful’, despite that the fact that we had seen no answers to prayer.

She sent me a note to share the words and the scripture reference. It was Habakkuk 3:17-19. You may be familiar with it.

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
Habakkuk 3:17-10

I’d like to say I was greatly encouraged, and immediately received this word with joy. In reality, I sobbed my heart out. I felt like the fig that does not bud and the vines without grapes. All I felt was lack. I didn’t see all the other ways God had blessed me, not least the incomparable gift of Himself.

He loved me enough to speak specifically to me though my friend, and he’d been trying to get my attention for a while. The same verses were in a birthday card my friend had sent me the year before. I’d just never gotten around to looking up the reference. God was speaking to me even then, but I wasn’t listening.

Learning to ‘rejoice’ and ‘be joyful’ was a milestone in my journey with God, because it taught me to see beyond my circumstances, beyond my own desire for a husband, to the One who desires to be first and foremost in my heart.

Do you have a story to share in the Comments?

Photo Credit: krwlms via Compfight cc

This is Day 28 of the series 31 Days to Listen.