The unfolding of your words gives light. Psalm 119.30

God is not a mumbling trickster ~ it is to be expected, that if he wants us to know something,

he will be both able and willing to communicate it to us plainly, just as long as we are

open and prepared by our experience to hear and obey. Dallas Willard

Good Morning.

While prayer may be as natural as breathing for many, others have difficulties that life has erected; while human conversation flows in the give-and-take, interaction with the Divine who does not sit opposite the table from us in bodily form is a little more challenging. And yet--just looking for His presence, and leaning in to hear His voice makes hearing from God quite possible. Many of us have had experiences where someone says, "The Lord told me. . ." and we look at them like they came from Mars--'really, He talked to you. . . and He said that?' For some, that phrase, 'the Lord told me', or 'the Lord gave me a dream', has been bandied about in a rather reckless fashion. Often, the statement is made to us with an air of authority that seems to make it true! While I'm not saying that we should be quick to decry 'what the Lord told anyone', we must be discerning. Again--as you would ask yourself when you think you've heard from God--so you must also ask about another's message to you, given 'by the Lord'-- does it line up with God's Word? Is it expressed as something that will bring glory to the person, or God? We all must exercise care when we say to anyone, "God told me. . ."; those are serious words, and should not be uttered in vain.

Yet, as we grow in faith and maturity in our relationship with God, we can cultivate a conversational style of prayer, that is not just one-sided. . . but we must train our ears to listen.

I think this insight is helpful-- when James Dobson is seeking to know God's will about a matter, he says, "I get down on my knees and say, 'Lord, I need to know what you want me to do, and I am listening. Please speak to me through my friends, books, magazines I pick up and read, and through circumstances.'" And then, Dobson says, I listen.

Frederick Meyer, a contemporary of Dwight Moody's, an English preacher, also offered practical suggestions~

"Be still each day for a short time, sitting before God in meditation, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the truth of Christ's indwelling. Ask God to be pleased to make known to you what is the riches of the glory of this mystery." (Colossians 1.27)

Hold onto those thoughts, but allow me to digress for a moment here~ I lead a group of women in Bible study each Thursday morning; we call ourselves "Women of Passion." Why such a name? Because anything to which we are going to commit two hours to meet weekly, and additional time in prayer, Bible study and reflection. . . well, we had better be passionate about it, or what's the point? Yesterday, I raised a question that seemed to have a "duh" answer--"Do you want to grow spiritually? Well, then, HOW do you think you do that? What things might you do to facilitate growth? Do you think that you are growing spiritually?" All these questions set the table for our discussions on hearing the voice of God. . . some were so bold to say they want to hear from Him, but are sometimes afraid of what He might ask them to do. . . or be. . . or give up. . . 'Worthwhile considerations, eh? There was some stretching done in that room.

I had to leave Women of Passion early to meet some business folk I have the privilege of encouraging on a spiritual level--a number of them in from the East Coast who I was meeting for the first time. (delightful!) Corporate America is being challenged to its limits right now--there is not an industry untouched by the global economic crisis, as this business has experienced the ripple effect, and yet. . . I quietly observed the assurance that followers of Jesus can have and know. That assurance does not come through osmosis, friends, it comes through an ever-deepening relationship with God; it comes through the desire to grow spiritually, and practice the disciplines of the Christian faith that make us stronger and more steadfast. It comes through being in community with other sincere seekers who want the same thing.

I can't think of a better Lenten resolve than to purpose individually to seek to truly deepen our relationship with God. . . growing in desire for spiritual discipline ~ Perhaps you might want to set apart some time this weekend to review the lessons of this last week on prayer, listening, and God's Word. Ask God what He would have you do to grow in Him. . . listen, and then schedule it into your daily life. Put it on your Blackberry - 5.30-6.15>time with God - something like that. hmmm... Set apart. That's what the word 'holy' means, you know, and that's what we're called to be. . . "Be ye holy, even as I am holy," says the Lord.

May each of us be able to say, like Samuel did, "Speak to me, Lord, for your child is here-"

With love,

Christine