GOOD LISTENING

Call unto Me, and I will answer

you, and show you great and mighty

things, which you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3 

For years, we have heard what good listeners we ought to be.  I don’t tend to be a very good one even after my years of social work and church contacts.  Everyone wants to be heard so in that process, we are usually good at interrupting another persons sharing.  We are living in a time when everyone wants to be heard without having to listen to the other side.

When speaking of listening, we usually think of taking in physically through our ears what is being said, but most people can easily do that with perhaps the exception of those who might have a hearing problem.  However, there is a great gap between physically hearing a voice and actually taking in the message being relayed to us by the speaker.

So very often, I think, at least in my own experience, that when it comes to God’s Word, I’ve been good a seeing words on the pages of my Bible even with a certain amount of understanding.  However, the goal of the Holy Spirit is that we do more than just seeing words with minimal understanding.  He has some very rich things to impart that are going to require us to be good listeners, not just with eyes and even ears, but with heart.  When we really listen with the heart, the spiritual benefits are tremendous.

We have such a good example of one who listens in what we read about Jesus.  We see Him doing a lot of teaching and sharing, but was courteous in listening even to His soundest critics.  It is interesting to note that when he replied after their critiques of Him that they just couldn’t come back with a reply.  He gave them their opportunity to speak uninterrupted but they weren’t able to respond to His words of wisdom.  Jesus listened carefully before He spoke.  In our day, folks just want to be given an opportunity to be heard.  It might be hard at times, but if we want to be heard, we need to practice that listening part.

Father, You have listened to me through the years in all situations.  Thank You for that and that You continue doing so.  I don’t know what I would do without Your listening ear.  In Jesus’ name….Amen

 

HOUSE CLEANIN' TIME

Have mercy upon me, O God, according

to Your loving kindness; according

to the multitude of Your tender mercies,

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalm 51:1,2

When I begin to look at the coming days of Spring, my mind goes back as a young girl to what I would consider to be my absolute “nightmare city.” Great plans were always made in anticipation of the spring housecleaning that was to be done. We did things then that rarely if ever are done in our present day.

Our housecleaning meant taking things out of the house, into the yard to give certain items the beating of their lives. Throw rugs were thrown over clotheslines and with some kind of wire racket, were beaten until there was no dust left to fly into the air. Organdy curtains were taken off the windows, gently washed and stretched on special racks, putting them in the sunshine to dry. Windows were cleaned inside and out, the outhouse in the backyard got a good cleaning and the kitchen was dismantled so as to clean every nook and cranny of just about every available space.

I was recently reminded of a phrase in Scripture that referred to God's cleansing of our sins. Our mandate is to repent and God will do the cleaning. We often think of repentance being reserved for the unsaved but not so. Believers need to be alert to having a repentant spirit before the Lord. Perhaps at times, there might need to be an in-depth cleaning of saved- up dirty sin. I must say that back then, when finished, our house sure smelled good and fresh. Perhaps with a spiritual housecleaning, we would know more of that sweet aroma of Christ that we can share with the world around us.

Father, clean me up. I'm so sorry for my sin and the times I disappoint you. I want to live a clean life for Your honor and glory. Thank You for Your love and power that are sustaining and ever available. In Jesus' name...Amen

 

AN EARLY CALLING

And whatever you do in word or

deed, do all in the name of the

Lord Jesus, giving thanks to

God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:17

Her name was Ruth Young. She's been in Heaven for awhile now. She was one of those ladies in the church who did a little bit of everything...church bulletin, bank deposits, teacher and whatever else she did. One of her big responsibilities was VBS every summer, often leading the junior department.

Bible school went through sixth grade and I had attended all I could...being in seventh grade, I was finished. Ruth stopped me at church one day and asked me to help her with her VBS kids. She wanted me to teach them Bible memory verses. I immediately told her that I had never taught anything before. She assured me she would help me along the way.

I faced about 30 boys and girls the first day of VBS and I was scared to death. I have to tell you, though, that I had a ball. I had some ideas I used and the kids had such a good time learning. My only mistake was while teaching, I sat on the Lord's supper table as we met in the auditorium. It was the only place to sit, but I haven't done that since.

Time went quickly. I can't tell you what awakened in me but didn't say anything to anyone about it. Ruth came to me on the last day and thanked me. She added a comment to her gratitude saying, “I believe you are going to be a great teacher. In fact, some day I think you will teach hundreds.” Twenty five years later, something like that happened at a conference. As I finished, God allowed my mind to go back to Ruth and how she seemed to see this part of my future.

I mention this because there are younger folks around us who need encouragement in considering how God can use them perhaps just in their local church. Our suggestions of some possibilities may seem unrealistic at first but we know it is God that will do the work. You may even have the privilege of helping young people peek into their future spiritual callings.

God used a faithful church lady who saw something in a scrawny young girl that the girl didn't see in herself. It may not have changed Ruth's life to speak of, but with some years, it sure changed mine. Thank you, Ruth.

Father God, too many reasons to thank You for calling me to be a teacher for You. I also thank You for Ruth Young who got me started with 30 girls and boys in VBS. Thank You for using her encouragement and for You choosing to use me. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

 

CALLED TO WAIT

But those who wait on the LORD

shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings

like eagles, they shall run and

not be weary, they shall walk and

not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Rest in the LORD, and wait

patiently for Him.

Psalm 37:7a

We all have done our share of waiting. I don't like it even though I have often seen the purpose of it. Just the word “wait” does not bring warmth to my bones. I, perhaps like you, have waited and no matter where or what it was...not my cup of tea. I have waited for a ten month pregnancy to end giving me the precious gift of my middle child. I have waited in doctor's waiting rooms, waited to hear regarding test results, waied at airports, waited for holidays to arrive and yes even for grass to grow. I waited for that last one a few times when we moved into a new houses..

We may pace, chew nails, over eat and even talk to ourselves. I guess if we didn't have waiting to help put brakes to our lives, we would be crazy beyond understanding or control. I want to know RIGHT NOW what I need to know without a waiting time. I've come to know but not always appreciate that God doesn't work according to my wrist watch or calendar. We know He does all things well and a part of that is His working His way and in His timing.

I've come to learn when I am called upon to wait to find a way to be busy. That generally means reaching for my Bible and doing some reading. I can use some of that time to pray for friends and family who are facing their own challenges. The end result can be of those things seen in the above verses. In our waiting times, whether we feel or realize it, we gain in patience, in strength and may even find ourselves feeling rested. It takes a determination on our parts to realize the problem and prayerfully wait. The Great Enabler is faithful...waiting + patience = spiritual strength.

Father God, thank You for the rest You give when we patiently wait on You. Give us Your power to wait when You want us to. You are a wonderful Father, always looking at what's in our best interest. In Jesus' precious name....Amen