"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they know me."
John 10:27
If you believe in Jesus, you can know what it feels like to trust completely in the One Who holds you high about the discernible ground. You know that life isn't always perfect, and it isn't always easy. It is entirely possible that something will give way, and you will fall headfirst into the ache that is this life.
It's not uncommon to hear the term "divine appointment" used, but I think we have underestimated what it really represents. Our lives are one divine appointment after another, and it's more a matter of how many we are being obedient in acknowledging. The question is not whether or not He is working around you. He is. The issue is whether or not you are listening with the expectation to hear Him. Make a point to listen starting now, inviting Him to teach you in even the most mundane tasks...an incredible relationship with the One True God is possible for all those who hear and follow his voice.
- from Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole
by Angie Smith
If you know us well, you know our home is one of noise, music blaring, children expressing themselves (voices loud, seldom quiet), requests for favorite songs to be turned louder, pulsing rhythms fast and strong, dance routines before 8 am, electric guitars before bed, wild laughter, excited chatter, and me attempting to raise my soft voice loud enough to be heard. While there is great beauty and joy in the noise, I often find myself craving quiet, moments to be still, to sit, admire, reflect, and process. However, life is noisy, full of things that distract, consume, or require our attention, a reflection of calendars filled with appointments and commitments. And, while I want to embrace this season of activity, I want to avoid being swept away by a spirit of hurriedness, as I task-master my days, cross items off lists, and shuttle my kids. I want to be present in each moment, just as He is present, moving, stirring and prompting. I do not want to long for later, but be satisfied in the right now. I want His voice to be the one I hear, louder than any other that vies for my attention. I want to invite Him into each moment significant or mundane, knowing that He cares about them all.
As I reflected upon this idea of invitation all week, I was encouraged to find that simple, fleeting moments have the potential to captivate (my attention), inspire (my creativity), and stir up (my faith) as I ask Him to reveal more of himself to me. I paused long enough to be reminded that...
He is the great healer, as tiny red spots came and went...
He is the most detailed of Creators, as I stopped to observe our son admire creation, marveling over each insect plucked from damp soil...
He is the giver of moments great and small, who takes great delight in us, his creation, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made...
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