Listening for His Voice

Have you ever personally felt and known God’s Presence?  I have, on many occasions.  This post that I wrote a few years back, reminded me of one of those amazing times.  Just wanted to share it with you:

Being that it’s a gorgeous sunny day today…in the eighties, I decided to take a walk during my lunch hour.

As I stepped outside and breathed in that amazingly warm and comforting air, I asked God to speak to me.  You see, usually I pray (talk!) the whole time I am walking, so I asked the Lord to do the talking today.

And I was listening for His voice.

For a few moments I was hearing the common drone of cars humming down the main road, and those sounds gave way to the gentle whirring of the breeze around me.  All of a sudden, there was the sound of a bird squawking.  The sound was getting nearer and nearer to me, and I looked down.  The bird was running in circles right in front of me and making all sorts of crazy sounds.  Then I saw it.  Her baby was off to the left of me, running toward the grass.  I realized that the mommy bird was protecting her baby!

Seeing the natural instinct of a mother protecting her little one really warmed my heart.  I thanked God for showing me such beauty, turned the corner and stepped up to the sidewalk.  Then I saw something I wish I hadn’t.  I saw two little furry baby birds, all soft and downy, lying dead on the ground.  I asked the Lord why He allowed me to see that?  Why did I need to see those sweet little birds that looked as though they just died?  And why did they have to die in the first place?

He answered, “there is beauty to be found through both life and death.”  After a few more steps, once again I looked down, and I saw it.  A bookmark had flown over and landed on the side of the path I was walking on.

I saw the words…Jesus is Alive! And I understood that because of Jesus, death holds no power over us.  In Christ Jesus, we are saved.  He is waiting for us to invite Him into our hearts and our lives, and accept the precious gifts He offers us.  Love, mercy, and salvation.  These are not merely words to bring us comfort.  Jesus is truly alive…He is right here with us now!

Lord, there are so many times I don’t understand your ways.  I don’t understand why some people suffer more than others, why some seem to attract the good things of the world, while others struggle just to survive.  Help me to understand that you are present in all of our lives, and in all circumstances.  Help me to trust that your grace is sufficient in all things, and that suffering, even death itself, can bring us closer to you.  All we need to do is open our hearts to you, and ask that you fill us with your saving holy presence.

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Our True Identity

Many years ago, I was in the beginning stage of my search to “find myself.” I had absolutely no clue who I was, and what my purpose was in this life.

Mainly, I did all the things that were expected of me, and depended on the thoughts and opinions of those around me to dictate what I “should” or “shouldn’t” be.  During this time, I did the best I could with my responsibilities, tried to live a good life, and  loved my family and friends in the best way I knew.  But I was aware that something was missing inside of me.

Basically, I was floating. 

I didn’t realize at the time, that the true, life changing search would not be directed toward myself…ultimately, the search would be to get to know God, which would lead me to loving and serving Him.

I had no way of knowing that my true identity wasn’t contained in what the world thought of me.

My identity is that I am a child of God…and I was created to be with Him for eternity.  He created me (just as He created you) because I was meant to be here…at this moment in history.  I was created to be called to His Kingdom…just as you were! We are all an integral part of His Salvation Plan and He is calling us to spread the Love of Jesus through The Gospel…are we willing to answer that call?

What could possibly be a more important purpose than that?

Today, I found some notes regarding The Beatitudes, that I had written back in those early years…when my search had just begun.  The ideas were found in an awesome book, “God’s Psychiatry,” and I would like to share what reached out to me, and stayed in the back of my mind all through the years:

To be poor in spirit means to give up our pride

To mourn means to be penitent to the point of surrendering ourselves

Meekness means that we must surrender our very selves to the plans and purposes of God

Our hunger for God means turning away from our ambitions for all things else

To be merciful means to pay good for the evil we have received

For purity we must give up all things impure

To make peace is wholly to choose God

These are the seven ingredients of righteousness. They must be bought at a price.

Blessed are those who pay the price, “for theirs is the Kingdom of God.”

My hope is that you are blessed with the knowledge that you are a Child of God…that YOU were specifically created to spend eternity with Him.  Don’t waste the opportunity to get to know God, and to understand His purpose in your life.  He is waiting for you.

Matthew 5:1-12

God’s Psychiatry by Charles Allen