On Perceiving God

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
1 Samuel 3 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
8 So the LORD called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:8-10, NASB)


REFLECTIONS:
God speaks to the boy Samuel, but Samuel doesn’t know that God is speaking until Eli clues Samuel in to this important fact and instructs Samuel on how to respond should he hear God speak again.  Prepared with this new knowledge, Samuel recognizes that God is speaking on the next occasion and thus begins Samuel’s life of hearing from God.  

This story reminds me of my friend Gordon from Houston.  Gordon has been an Eli for me in that as he has shared some of the ways God has spoken to him, my understanding and expectation of the possibility that God could/would speak to me in those ways has opened up.  God makes himself known to Gordon in myriad of ways:  through the Bible, music (both secular and sacred), movies, books, nature, signs on the side of trucks, art, visions, impressions, people… the list may be endless.   

Gordon has an extraordinarily intimate relationship with Jesus and it pours out of his life in abundant joy, peace, patience, art, kindness, gentleness, love, beauty , faithfulness and freedom to be himself.  He spends most of his mornings in conversation with Jesus over a cup of coffee and regularly writes words of love and encouragement to people the Lord has moved his heart to pray for that morning.  My children, my husband and I have been some of the blessed recipients of these words.  On many occasions the letters have been so on point with something only God would know, and so the Word that was needed, that there has been no doubt that Gordon had heard from the Lord that day concerning me. 

Gordon’s openness about his sweet and deeply connected relationship with Jesus has clued me in to the important fact that God may speak to me in such ways as well.  This change in expectation is as important to me as it was to Samuel.  Since I now have the expectation that God may speak in and through anything, my heart can always be open, waiting, listening/looking for what He may want to communicate.  

Verse 1 tells us that in Samuel’s time “word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.”  This is no longer the case.   We now have the Holy Spirit available to reside in us and to speak to us and through us (see John 16:7-14; Acts 2:17-18; John 10:27). Now that the God of the universe makes His home in us, we have the awesome opportunity for daily, moment-to-moment relationship (see John 14-15). If you think about it, why wouldn’t the God of all created things relate through all created things to those He loves.  Why wouldn’t He:

• Cause a phrase or a section of Scripture to catch my attention when there is something there He knows is particularly important for me at that time;
• Hug me with a gentle breeze; 
• Give me a dream and then have the same vision confirmed by a dear friend’s timely letter;
• Speak to me about the longings in our hearts to be the powerful, Holy Spirit empowered Kingdom people we were created to be through a Harry Potter movie; 
• Teach me about His gentle affection for His children through my heart’s affection for my own; 
• Tell me that He thinks I’m like a sunflower; 
• Assure me through the overwhelming beauty of the earth that He is a good and beautiful God to have created it all even after my friend gets a cancer diagnosis;
• Wake me with poetic words recounting a transformational turning point where I gave my whole self to Him;
• Give me a nanosecond vision of beings worshiping with everything they had from the depths of their insides;
• Sing a love song off the radio to me…

POINT OF ACTION:
Give your whole self to Him—it will help clear away the clutter that makes it difficult to perceive Him.  Look for the good—it’s from Him.  Say thanks—it’s a form of worship.  Read the Bible—the Holy Spirit is available to lead and guide you in all truth.  Know that He wants to communicate with you all the time—expect Him to speak.


PRAYER:
Jesus, thank You for being a God of relationship.  Help me always to live in an awareness of Your presence, to talk to You always, to perceive what You are saying.


WHO AM I?
I’m Lisa Kirby and relationships are my favorite.   I like to love on my kids in lots of different ways—affection, gifts, words of love and encouragement, guidance, serving them, enjoying them, helping them… Learning  to love more all the time from my Father.