Brother & Sisters,
As I sit here pondering the morning that I had I can’t help but wonder “what am I... Who am I to deserve this?” The hour ride to my regular Sunday village struck me in a different way today. I had a lot of time to reflect as I sat on the back of the motorcycle just staring out at the vast amount of mountains, palm trees, sugar cane and the beauty of the sun shining down on it all. Usually this drive is “just another trip” but today this drive was an unreal way to hear God whisper my name.
As I read through the book of 1 Kings a couple weeks ago, I came across a portion of scripture that came alive to me. It stopped me in my tracks and reminded me of something I often forget. As Elijah was up on the mountain waiting for the Lord to pass by scripture says: “Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” The Lord spoke to Elijah with a low, soft voice…
How often do I listen for God to show up in such a loud way? Honestly, sometimes I sit expectantly waiting to hear a shout from God “JESSICA wake up, stop that, turn here, go there, witness to her, walk away from this temptation.” I find myself wondering some days why I don’t hear from Him. Sometimes I ask desperately “God, please come, please help me, please show me...” Until I read this passage this is the way I would often think.
The day I sat down to read, I actually was asking these questions. He answered me more clearly than ever, “I am here, I’ve been here, and I’ve never left.” I was waiting for Him to make his presence known when he had already been trying to show me. I was not listening, but He was there. He was in the stillness of that crystal clear ocean, in the gentle winds that were blowing through the trees, in the shining brightness of the sun, in the soft comforting voices of my loved ones and in the words on the pages of His book that I had been reading.
Wow, don’t I feel ridiculous, here I had been filling my days with Christian music, books, conversations and work, expecting to find his guidance there. I had however not considered that it was the long truck/motorcycle rides under the hot sun, or that time sitting in the sand staring out at unimaginable beauty, or sitting under the stars, in which I would hear my Savior calling my name. I forgot to take time to really listen for the Gentle Whisper of my Father in heaven. It’s when we listen for His soft voice that we discover the wondrous, sometimes incomprehensible plans he has for us. And thank God, it was today as we made that hour long drive, that I was able to find him in the beauty of my surroundings. In a time of complete chaos, overwhelming situations, discouragement, and frustrations I was able to hear his voice so clearly call to me, and remind me.. You, my child, are a servant, a worthy warrior in this battle in which you have already found victory. You are beauty, you are loved, forgiven, redeemed, pardoned, and satisfied. You, my child, are significant, even when you feel so small…
My friends, it is in the beauty of our surroundings, in our quietness, in our stillness that we are reminded of our worth. It’s not just once in a while that we need to listen for the voice of our Savior, its daily. Are you listening for the whisper? Slow down, embrace his love, and trust in the sound of your Creator. Find him on your way to work, as you pass by his creation, find him in the stillness of the nights as you listen to the sound of the crickets, or in the beauty of the sunrise. Allow him to reveal Himself to you, because chances are, He is trying desperately to get your attention, to wrap his arms around you and say “Listen to me for one second, let me tell you the love I have for your, let me tell you are worthy, let me show you that you are a victor. I want you all brothers and sisters, to take 2 more minutes of your listen to this song, allow the lyrics of this song to remind you that you my friend, are significant. He knows your name, He desires your heart, and He never lets you go.. May you have a blessed week!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4qFqccHRrg
Jessica
As I sit here pondering the morning that I had I can’t help but wonder “what am I... Who am I to deserve this?” The hour ride to my regular Sunday village struck me in a different way today. I had a lot of time to reflect as I sat on the back of the motorcycle just staring out at the vast amount of mountains, palm trees, sugar cane and the beauty of the sun shining down on it all. Usually this drive is “just another trip” but today this drive was an unreal way to hear God whisper my name.
As I read through the book of 1 Kings a couple weeks ago, I came across a portion of scripture that came alive to me. It stopped me in my tracks and reminded me of something I often forget. As Elijah was up on the mountain waiting for the Lord to pass by scripture says: “Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” The Lord spoke to Elijah with a low, soft voice…
How often do I listen for God to show up in such a loud way? Honestly, sometimes I sit expectantly waiting to hear a shout from God “JESSICA wake up, stop that, turn here, go there, witness to her, walk away from this temptation.” I find myself wondering some days why I don’t hear from Him. Sometimes I ask desperately “God, please come, please help me, please show me...” Until I read this passage this is the way I would often think.
The day I sat down to read, I actually was asking these questions. He answered me more clearly than ever, “I am here, I’ve been here, and I’ve never left.” I was waiting for Him to make his presence known when he had already been trying to show me. I was not listening, but He was there. He was in the stillness of that crystal clear ocean, in the gentle winds that were blowing through the trees, in the shining brightness of the sun, in the soft comforting voices of my loved ones and in the words on the pages of His book that I had been reading.
Wow, don’t I feel ridiculous, here I had been filling my days with Christian music, books, conversations and work, expecting to find his guidance there. I had however not considered that it was the long truck/motorcycle rides under the hot sun, or that time sitting in the sand staring out at unimaginable beauty, or sitting under the stars, in which I would hear my Savior calling my name. I forgot to take time to really listen for the Gentle Whisper of my Father in heaven. It’s when we listen for His soft voice that we discover the wondrous, sometimes incomprehensible plans he has for us. And thank God, it was today as we made that hour long drive, that I was able to find him in the beauty of my surroundings. In a time of complete chaos, overwhelming situations, discouragement, and frustrations I was able to hear his voice so clearly call to me, and remind me.. You, my child, are a servant, a worthy warrior in this battle in which you have already found victory. You are beauty, you are loved, forgiven, redeemed, pardoned, and satisfied. You, my child, are significant, even when you feel so small…
My friends, it is in the beauty of our surroundings, in our quietness, in our stillness that we are reminded of our worth. It’s not just once in a while that we need to listen for the voice of our Savior, its daily. Are you listening for the whisper? Slow down, embrace his love, and trust in the sound of your Creator. Find him on your way to work, as you pass by his creation, find him in the stillness of the nights as you listen to the sound of the crickets, or in the beauty of the sunrise. Allow him to reveal Himself to you, because chances are, He is trying desperately to get your attention, to wrap his arms around you and say “Listen to me for one second, let me tell you the love I have for your, let me tell you are worthy, let me show you that you are a victor. I want you all brothers and sisters, to take 2 more minutes of your listen to this song, allow the lyrics of this song to remind you that you my friend, are significant. He knows your name, He desires your heart, and He never lets you go.. May you have a blessed week!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4qFqccHRrg
Jessica