Thursday, August 12, 2010

Listen For HIS Voice

"Be still and know that I am God."
-- Psalm 46:10

Sometimes I find myself just wanting to yell, "SHUT UP!" No. Not at you. At me. That person I see in the mirror everyday. The person who is so busy talking and worrying that I can't get my mind quiet enough to actually hear God.

When I focus on what seems impossible, I forget who's running things. When I try to work things out on my own, I forget who can fix anything. When I believe the world rests on my shoulders, I lose sight of the One who created everything.

Fortunately, God never goes away. He stays right there with me, waiting until I wear myself down. Then in quietness I turn to Him and I can hear Him speak.

Years ago I tried my hand at pottery. I wasn't particularly good at it but I did create a number of clay crosses. I etched the words above but left off God's name at the end. I didn't mean any disrespect, which I'm sure God knew. It's just that the words reminded me of an earlier conversation between Moses and God. It's Exodus 3:14. (Having a pastor for a friend is great, especially when he knows the Bible verse you're trying to find!)

"God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

God is I AM. He is Yahweh. He is everything and all things. And in the quiet, when my mind is finally uncluttered enough to hear Him I know, beyond any doubt, that I belong to Him. My Creator. My Father. My God.

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