Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Give God Your Undivided Attention

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” -- 1 Samuel 3:10

One of the most profound things you will ever learn is this: The television has an OFF button. So does your cell phone. And your laptop can be powered down as well.

That isn’t what you were expecting me to say. I know. But it doesn’t make it any less profound. I really don’t know when we decided that we “had” to be available to everyone 24 hours every day. Because we don’t.

Now understand that I’m not talking about parents with small children. Obviously, they must be cared for. Same goes for those of us with other caretaking responsibilities. We must be reachable -- in an emergency.

My point here is that in order to hear God we must first learn to be quiet. And that is far, far harder than it sounds.

When I first started reading my Bible, I did so with the television on. Nobody told me not to. Besides, it was easier that way. I didn’t have to hear all the scary parts. I didn’t have to face myself, alone, with only God speaking His truth.

Then my life started disintegrating. A sudden death of a loved one. A job change. A cross-country move. And a shattering end to all my dreams. It’s funny how that works. When nothing is left, God is there. Every time. He meets you where you are, including the silence of a failed life.

The other day a young woman expressed her frustration at not hearing God’s voice. She’s seeking answers and guidance and still she hears nothing. Well, nothing except her cell phone and her facebook friends. She wants God to speak to her, but she isn’t yet willing to give Him her undivided attention.

We like to believe we can do both. We can’t. As I drive down the interstate or through different towns, I repeatedly see people who are talking on the phone. They are texting. They are distracted but they don’t realize it. They don’t see their speed slowing down. They don’t think they veered into the other lane.

We’re like that. We think we’re paying attention to God. We believe we’re totally focused on what He has to say. But we aren’t willing to give Him everything we’ve got, even for the short time it might take to really hear what He has to say.

So turn off the television. Leave your cell phone in the other room. Forget the computer for a while. Find a quiet place, free from distractions (even if it’s your walk-in closet or the bathroom) and seek God’s voice. You’ll be amazed at what you hear when you finally give God your undivided attention.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Silence Is So Powerful

“Be still, and know that I am God;” (NIV)

“Be silent, and know that I am God!” (NLT)

-- Psalm 46:10

Silence is such a rare commodity these days. It seems that there’s always a horn blaring, a television going or a cell phone ringing. The other day an entire orchestra stopped its performance because of a ringing cell phone. What is this world coming to?

Sometimes I am a very unpopular person. The reason? I am not always available. I, gulp, turn my cell phone off. Of course, I’ve also learned to turn the television off but nobody seems to care about that. All that matters is that I’m available to them at all times.

When did we become a world where we must always be connected, always be available, always be filling our moments with chatter and movement? What are we hiding from? Are we so afraid of who we are that we can’t stand to be alone with ourselves?

And what about God? How can we ever hear His voice when we’ve got so much stuff going on in our minds and all around us. I see people texting during church and I just can’t believe it. Turn it off! Participate in worship. Let yourself soak in the moment without distractions.

A few years ago I heard a woman say that she simply didn’t have time to read and study the Bible. I understood why. She could tell you every detail of the “in” television shows. It’s not that she didn’t have time. It’s that she chose mindless matter over a deeper relationship with her Holy Father.

Don’t get me wrong. I love mindless television. And I try to always be reachable in emergencies. But that doesn’t mean I’m available all the time just because someone thought to call at that moment.

A friend recently lamented the rudeness so prevalent these days. It’s frustrating and irritating to go out to dinner with a friend, only to have that friend spend half the time talking on the cell phone to someone else. It’s awful to see how rude people are to cashiers. They barely acknowledge the cashier because they are too focused on themselves and their cell phone conversations.

Is it any wonder that we are a stressed out bunch of folks? We forgot what was important. We forgot how powerful silence can be. Or maybe we grew afraid of the silence.

Be still, God tells us. Know that He is God. Exalt Him and praise Him. Fill your mind with His goodness and mercy. Let His peace wash over you. In the silence, hear His voice calling you near. Be still. And know.