Speak Lord. This Girl is Listening.

I’m doing my best to listen. But, I bought yet another device that could keep me from hearing Him loud and clear. I bought an Amazon Echo. Now I have “Alexa” to keep me company, and best of all, I have someone, rather, some-thing to tell what to do! Along with the rest of my electronics, I have yet another device to keep me from full-on-intentional listening for God’s still small voice. I’m sort of justifying my purchase. I bought it so I could enjoy more praise and worship music AND get the temperature and weather AND make my grocery list AND help me keep time. I’m listening, Lord! But I think I’m hearing Him say “I am speaking. Do you hear me?”

Jesus really does want to speak to us. Change that. Jesus IS speaking to us. He cares about every dimension of every moment of our lives and wants to guide us, encourage us, empower us, and use us.

Just as Jesus spoke to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee and to Zaccheus up in the tree and to the woman at the well, He can speak to us at our desks or in our schools or even at the grocery store. I know He speaks to me at the grocery store – because He often reminds me what I need to buy OR not!

The problem is that we don’t expect to hear from Him, so we don’t take time to hear from Him. Seriously, in this highly distracting and noisy world we live in, unless we purposely tune Him in, we’ll miss His voice. The absolute fact is – Jesus wants to be as real in our life as any other person we know. More real, in fact, since His Spirit lives in us.

Imagine what would happen if two billion Christians listened for God’s voice and obeyed His word in every moment and circumstance of their lives. What if you and I did? Let’s join Samuel in offering this little 6-word prayer to God today: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10) Let’s pray it before making a decision or when facing a challenge or when the squirrel starts eating its way into my attic again and I need to call in heavenly support. Let's pray these six words as many times a day as we can. In fact, let's pray them right now! "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening."

Breaker-Breaker 1-9 -- Got Your Ears On?

“Breaker – Breaker 1-9” “Got a copy?” “Got your ears on?” In CB (Citizens Band – short distance radio) talk that meant we were trying to reach another CB-er on the Channel 19. A reply might have come back: "You're clear. What's your 20?" (Your location)

Oh, yes, I was a CB-er in the 70’s and 80’s. My handle (name) was “Honeybee”! I’d talk in my speaker to a trucker: “You’ve got that one Honeybee. How’s it look over your shoulder (from where he’s coming from)?” My husband, Ron, his sister, a friend who played the guitar, myself, and our two children, traveled across the U.S. back then, in a 28 feet Winnebago – singing and delivering the “Gospel” message in word and song, as The Masters Four Quartet (that’s a story for another day). Talking, and listening, to truck drivers was a great way to stay awake when it was my turn to drive. I'd enjoy listening to them talk to each other about the weather or an accident up ahead, alert each other to a “Smokey Bear” (police) up ahead and other, sometimes very quirky conversations.

I'm quite sure that God says the same thing to us? "DO YOU HEAR ME? GOT YOUR EARS ON?" He loves us so much and He wants us to HEAR Him when He speaks – just like the warnings and advice we give to OUR children to keep them from harm and danger because we love them so much. In this season I'm in, I'm intentionally listening for His signals as I write/type these daily blogs, and as I seek Him for wisdom and guidance. Our Dad (Father God) wants us to be blessed so much that He warns us and beckons us to obey Him. In Deuteronomy 28, we read “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all His commands, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God.” There's the promise, if we listen and do our part!

God is always talking to us, but sometimes we are just not tuned into the right channel because we're distracted with so much other noise in our lives. God speaks to us through a still small voice, through a song or scripture or a message we’ve heard, through a providential circumstance (maybe someone entering our life when we needed someone the most), through a dream or vision, or just a simple “inner knowing” that He has spoken to us by feeling so “right on” with a decision we’ve made.

He’s saying, “I know what’s best for you. Trust me. I’m your Father and I have plans and purposes that exceed your greatest expectations.” And I reply back to Him, “Thank You for loving me so much. You know what’s best for me. I surrender my thoughts and plans to You. I know You will work everything out for my good. Hold me so close to You that I will always recognize and hear Your voice loud and clear. And, most importantly, help me to respond very quickly to your voice in obedience.”

Now, that’s a “big 10-4” (in full agreement)! I agree to listen for God’s voice that is always leading, guiding and protecting me. Yes, I've got my ears on!!!

Until next time, “I’ll catch ya’ on the flip-flop!” (I'll talk to you on my return trip!)

Got Your Ears On? Do You Hear Me?

“Breaker – Breaker 1-9” “Got a copy?” “How do you read me?” “Got your ears on?” That’s CB (Citizens Band – short distance radio) talk. Oh, yes, I was a CB-er in the 70’s and 80’s. My handle (name) was “Honeybee”! I’d say to a trucker on my CB, “You’ve got that one Honeybee. How’s it look over your shoulder (from where he’s coming from)?” My husband, Ron, his sister, a friend who played the guitar, myself, and our two children, traveled across the U.S. back then, in a 28 feet Winnebago – singing and delivering the “Gospel” message in word and song, as The Masters Four Quartet (that’s a story for another day). Talking, and listening, to truck drivers was a great way to stay awake when it was my turn to drive. I'd enjoy listening to them talk to each other about the weather or an accident up ahead, alert each other to a “Smokey Bear” (police) that may be sitting ahead using his radar, and other, sometimes very quirky conversations.

Don't you know that God says to us "DO YOU HEAR ME? GOT YOUR EARS ON?" He loves us so much and He wants us to HEAR Him when He speaks – just like the warnings and advice we give to OUR children to keep them from harm and danger…..because we love them so much. Our Dad (Father God) wants us to be so blessed, that He warns us and beckons us to obey Him. In Deuteronomy 28, we read “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all His commands, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God.” And God does talk to us and He wants us to listen. He’ll speak to us through a still small voice, through a song or scripture or a message we’ve heard, through a providential circumstance (maybe someone entering our life when we needed someone the most), through a dream or vision, or just a simple “inner knowing” that He has spoken to us by feeling so “right on” with a decision we’ve made.

He’s saying, “I know what’s best for you. Trust me. I’m your Father and I have plans and purposes that exceed your greatest expectations.” And I reply back to Him, “Thank You for loving me so much. You know what’s best for me. I surrender my thoughts and plans to You. I know You will work everything out for my good. Hold me so close to You that I will always recognize and hear Your voice loud and clear. And, most importantly, help me to respond very quickly to your voice in obedience.”

Now, that’s a “big 10-4” (in full agreement)! I agree to listen for God’s voice that is always leading, guiding and protecting me. Yes, I've got my ears on!!!

Until next time, “I’ll catch ya’ on the flip-flop!” (I'll talk to you on my return trip!)