listening to God

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Call me.

“The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord . . .” – Psalm 25:14-14.

You see a friend across a crowded coffee shop just as you are on your way back to work. You give a quick signal with your hand to your ear, meaning, “Call me.” And you mean it.

Do you know God has been saying “call me” to his people for many centuries? Here are a few of his “call me” signals to us:

  • “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)
  • “The same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:12b)
  • “When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.” (Psalm 91:15).

God makes it clear that he waits for us to call out to him with earnestness, consistency, and commitment. If we call, he will answer.

Did you notice something else about these verses? Not only does God ask us to call him, but he promises good things when we do: revelation, understanding, riches, salvation, rescue, honor, and his very presence. Don’t you think it’s worth the call?

One more thought. Calling on God is important for us, but I’ve found that the stronger my communication is with him, the better I can help others on life’s path with me. Without a vital, two-way relationship with God, I’m not much good to anyone else. You may sense that, too. Give him a call – for your sake and theirs!

“We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God.” – A. W. Tozer

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Someone should be taking notes.

“Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.” – John 8:47a

I was in a meeting once with a consultant who had been brought in to advise on a non-profit organization’s proposed development project. He began his presentation, then looked around the table and said, “If I’m talking, someone should be taking notes.” That seemed arrogant on the part of an engineer, but it’s not at all arrogant when it comes to God.

Sometimes we do hear God speaking to us, don’t we? Usually it’s a thought, a highlighted verse of Scripture, or a nudge to do something we hadn’t planned to do. That’s often how God guides, encourages, and teaches us. As we get to know him better, we learn to recognize those messages.

When God speaks, it’s something to take seriously. For that reason, I like to keep a journal close at hand, so when God says something to me, I can take notes. Recently, for example, I asked him about a situation in my life and his response seemed to be “I will make a way.” It was clearly from God, and I wanted to be sure I’d remember it, so I made a note. That thought has come back to me numerous times since. I do the same with Bible verses or phrases that seem to speak to me on a particular day. Writing these messages down cements them in my memory and also makes them available for revisiting – sometimes years down the road.

God’s word is eternal. What he speaks may be valid for more than one situation. Let’s write his messages down, then read them again and again. When he speaks, we all should be taking notes!

“People are meant to live in an ongoing conversation with God, speaking and being spoken to.” – Dallas Willard

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Trust Happens

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“Gratitude is the heart’s memory.” – Anonymous proverb

One day I was fussing around trying to get everything done, worrying about this and that – just restless, I guess. I felt the Holy Spirit’s nudge: “Don’t you have something you want to thank Me for?” Of course I did. I stopped my whirlwind and gave Him thanks for several things that came immediately to mind. As soon as I did, I felt my spirit move from restless to restful. It was amazing.

So what really happened? God’s reminder to thank Him was not for His benefit, it was for mine. A gratefulness pause made me realize all that God does for me every day and how much He must love me to remind me of that even when I was “toiling and spinning” like the biblical lilies of the field. Recognizing His character, His faithfulness, and His consistent drawing of me to Himself helped me to trust Him even in the middle of what felt like chaos.

Trusting is not an act of the will. Rather, it is an emotion that grows out of a confident relationship with God as we discover that He loves, protects, teaches, and rescues us – and has been doing it for years. Even brief moments of remembering His never-failing consistency nurtures the emotion of trust in my spirit. Over time, I am finding that trust is more often my first response to struggle instead of my second, third, or fourth.

Maybe we need to stop telling ourselves to trust God and, instead, start realizing who He is and what He does for us. As we make gratefulness a habit, trust happens. Understanding that has made a big difference for me. It can for you, too. Don’t you have something to thank Him for right now?

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.” – Jeremiah 17:7