Category: Listen for the Lord

Psalm 118:24                         This Is the Day the Lord Has Made

“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (NKJV).

 

That’s right, when we think of this verse, we usually think of bright times, joyous times as pictured above.  That’s a good thing to do—rejoice in the good times.  Praise God when his blessings are apparent, when the trail ahead is interesting and good friends are enjoying a hike together.  That’s the kind of day when we like to “rejoice and be glad in it.”

But there are other days when the sun isn’t shining very brightly, the clouds are hanging low, and things just aren’t going our way–when there just doesn’t seem to be any light in the day.

Guess what?  This is still a day the Lord made, and we are to “rejoice and be glad in it” also.  Today started out like one of those lifeless days with difficult problems.  It was hard to “rejoice and be glad in it.”  Then God caused me to think of the fantastic family I have. And the love we all share.  He also reminded me that His Son, Jesus, loves me enough that He sacrificed Himself on the cross of Calvary so that He could spend eternity with me.  Jesus did that so He could spend time with me!  Wow!  Then, in the middle of the morning, the problem that seemed insurmountable earlier was chopped down to size.  So, this day that began with me mumbling and grumbling now has me rejoicing and being glad in it.  Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness.

 

Mark 6:31                                                         Go with God and Rest

“Then because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them. ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest’ ” (NIV).

 

In the past week we felt the busyness that Jesus described to His disciples, although others weren’t coming and going, we were constantly on the go with many tasks that needed to be completed in a short period of time.  Needless to say, we were exhausted.  We needed to “Come away with Jesus, and He will give us rest.”  Even when Jesus spoke those words to His disciples, they did not have a long time to rest, but a short time alone with Jesus can wipe away the exhaustion and reinvigorate the most tired.  There is a way to make the time particularly restful and refreshing, and make us ready to re-engage with the world.  I suggest taking the time to find a place where interruptions are excluded and then pour out your heart–all of it, the problems, the concerns, and the feelings of hopelessness.  Then, sit and listen for His still small voice.  Sit and feel His arms surround you.  Look up and see Him sitting on His throne reaching His hand to you.  Hear Him say, “I love you.”  It may take some time to calm yourself enough to experience His peace, but the time will be worth it.  Jesus is always ready, willing, and able to spend alone time with us.  Just call Him.  I guarantee that you will not get a busy  signal, that He will listen attentively to what you have to say, and that He will answer you.

Luke 19:47,48                                              Don’t Just Hear, Listen

“Every day he was teaching in the temple courts, but the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the leaders of the people continued to look for a way to put him to death.  They could not find any way to do it, because all the people were clinging to him and listening” (EHV)

 

Most translations of this Scripture do not include the word “listening” at the end of verse 48.  Most include the word, “hearing” or go on to describe what was happening as “intently hearing, hung on His words.”  I recently read a devotional based on this Scripture and got an interesting perspective based on the word “listening.”  The author, Roger G. Palms, using the DLNT translation, stated that the people did more than hear Jesus’ words, did more than hang on His words; they listened to Jesus and heard His heart.  Earlier in the gospel of Luke, chapter 8, verse 21, Jesus said, “…My brethren are these that hear the Word of God and do it” (KJV).  So, according to Jesus, we are not truly His followers unless we do what the Word says.  In other words, He was saying, “Actions speak louder than words.”  Jesus was correct.  Of course Jesus was correct, but it is important that we place the proper emphasis on the passage—“do it.”  We can read the Gospels.  We can quote the Gospels.  We can even preach the Gospels, but if our actions don’t mirror our words, our reading, speaking and preaching are of no effect.  Non-Christians, who hear us speak or preach the Gospel and observe us not living it, use that as reason to not accept the “Good News” of Jesus.  That’s quite a statement, putting the blame for people not receiving Christ as Savior on us when we don’t “do as we say.”  Maybe we need to think of that the next time we cut someone off in traffic, especially if we have a Christan sticker on our bumper.  Maybe we need to think of that the next time we lose our temper and say inappropriate words of scorn to someone who disagrees with us.  Maybe we need to think of that the next time we don’t return the excess change given to us by a store clerk.  Maybe we need to think of that the next time we speak evil of someone, especially someone known to be a Christian.  If we want our words to make a positive difference—someone accepting Christ as Savior– we need to make sure that our actions and words agree in a positive manner.  Lord, help us to be effective witnesses for you in both word and deed.

Psalm 46:10                                                   I Am the True God

“Be still, be calm, see, and understand I am the True God.  I am honored among all the nations, I am honored over all the earth” (Voice).

 

Of course the prime statement in the verse above is:  “I am the True God.”  We are to understand that Jehovah is the one and only True God, but we can’t understand if we don’t stop, look, and listen.  God is speaking through the Psalmist in this verse.  He is the one telling us to be still and calm.  In today’s world of constant stimulation–radio, tv, internet, and phone– it is difficult to experience quiet.  We seem to feel that we actually need all this stimulation.  How often do we drive without having music, talk show, or sports playing through the car’s sound system?  My guess is that the sound system in the car powers up as soon as the electrical system turns on.  That’s the way it is in my car.  We spend our evenings sitting in front of a large television often watching whatever comes on.  Most homes have more than one tv so each person can satisfy his/her own viewing choices.  How many of us have earphones or ear buds active even while we are walking for exercise?  Is there any place or time when we do not experience external stimulus?  The quietest place I have ever been is on the pontoon of a floatplane on the surface of a remote lake in Alaska.  I remember thinking, “There are no artificial sounds.  The only thing I hear is the water lapping on the pontoon and the rain failing on the lake.”  What a peaceful and quiet time that was.

Where and when can we find true quiet?  My wife and I find it in the woods or beside a country stream.  I can find it in my office if I close the door or in my bedroom at night.  We have to decide to get away from outside stimulus and then make the effort to do just that.

Why is it important to get away from outside stimulus and to quiet our minds?  The inference in Psalm 46:10 is that we need to be quiet, be still and be calm so that we can see and understand that Jehovah is the one True God and that Jesus is His Son.  There is no way to draw close to God if we don’t take the time and make the effort to read His Word, speak to Him in prayer, and listen with both heart and mind.  To do so, we have to make God the most important thing, at least for that moment, and be still, be calm, and listen.  The word is “meditate.”  We need to meditate on the Word, and we need to take time to listen for His still small voice.  When we make that investment of time, attention, and effort, we will be rewarded with a deeper understanding of Him.  Each time we do draw close to Him, our desire to draw close grows even stronger, and the reward grows larger.  It’s worth the time.  It’s worth the effort.  Draw close and be blessed.