Month: June 2008

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Listening for God

I am preaching this weekend in Wisconsin, and the title of my sermon is “Listening for God.” As I reflect back over the last 6-8 months this is spiritual discipline that has been drawing me closer into an intimate relationship with the creator God of the universe. What an wonderful thing.

As I began to think about this topic I was drawn to the story of Elijah as Jezebel was moving to have him killed (the story can be found in 1 Kings 18,19). As I read and pondered I came up with three questions: Why should listen to God?, How do we hear God’s voice?, and How should we respond to what we hear? As I began “preaching” the sermon in my head, a lot of the thoughts that were forming sounded familiar. I then looked back through my blog and found that I have been reflection on answers to these questions in a number of my postings. I hope to record the message and get it posted so if you are interested you can listen to the sermon. I would post my sermon notes, but they wouldn’t do you much good, I don’t preach with more than a outline on paper and my Bible. I then just share what God has placed on my heart. How do I know what that is? As I prepare I am “Listening for God.”

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Waiting on God

What I’m going to describe next my sound like an oxymoron, but such is the way this posting goes. Over the last couple of days I have had opportunities to talk about work, life, and my new educational adventure. As I reflect back on the content and nature of these conversations I find myself actively waiting on God. Did you catch the oxymoron, “actively waiting”?

So what do I mean by the phrase “actively waiting”? I have know Christians who sit, almost paralyzed, as they wait for direction or guidance from God. They are afraid to step in one direction fearing that God really wanted them to go another. There are those who live a stagnant, seemingly meaningless life because they are unable, unwilling, or simply afraid to step out actively wait on God. Take a look back at my posting about The Barbarian Sheep. This group of people I would refer to as passively waiting on God. Is this good or bad, I don’t know, I would have to ask about their degree of passiveness. So what is “actively waiting?”

As I actively wait on God, I engage the world in a way the servers others and honors God. I am beginning my 3rd post-graduate degree this summer, do I know where it will lead, no, but I am actively waiting on God for the answer. God has stirred in my heart a variety of questions that I relate to on a personal growth level as well as in my current job. I am not going to wait around waiting on God for all the answers, but I am going to engage the world with what I know and actively wait on God for my future adventure(s).

The key to actively waiting is to simple take a look around you and see where God is at work and join Him (Henry Blackaby). Don’t get caught on the sidelines sitting on your hand, get in the game of life, serve others and honor God by what you do.

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Oops, I did it again

No, I am not a Brittney fan, but the reality is that I did do it again. What did I do? Well, actually it’s what I haven’t been doing. I have been doing a lot, reading through Genesis, reading for my up coming classes, working on the house, working at work, coaching, etc.. What I haven’t been doing is listening. More specifically, I haven’t been listening to/for God.

The first four months of this year were great times of intimate connection with God. I was taking the time, sometimes a lot of time simply to listening to God. Letting Him drift through my thoughts, guiding my studies, showing me direction. Once I got my marching orders off I ran, forgetting to stay in communication with my God. Its not that I feel lost, I know the direction God wants me to move, the shape my new course of study, and my current ministry. What I miss is the close relationship, my connection with the God of the universe. This all seeing, all knowing, all everything God who cares about me, who knows me, who wants to connect with me. What an awesome God we serve.

Take some time this week, put down your papers, your books (yes even your Bible), set aside the business of life and as the psalmist wrote “Be still and know the I am God.” Take the time and reconnect.