Again, The Message Appears

I listened to a story Bill Johnson, senior pastor at Bethel church, shared recently about an unusual way God spoke to him many years ago.   He had been struggling with whether he should write a book or not.  He was not getting any clear direction from God, until one night he woke up to hear God say, "Isaiah 30:8".  That is all that was said, but when Bill looked up the verse it said, "Go now, write it on a tablet for them......."  That was pretty straight forward.  Just to affirm this to Bill, when he went on a conference trip his first hotel room was #308.  So was the second in another city.  Coincidence?  Not in God's world.  He asked God what he was trying to tell him and when he got back home and looked at his schedule he realized that he was so busy traveling over the year that he had no time to write.  He adjusted his schedule so he could be obedient to God's command.............Go and write!

There are so many ways God speaks to us.  Through devotionals, other people, His Word that seems to just jump off the page.  Sometimes there is that still small voice that resonates inside, a "gut feeling", or a sense of peace that overcomes.  He is patient and He is persistent in His pursuit of us.  He loves to communicate with us although so often His ways are a mystery.

For two years now I have been getting Exodus 14:14 in devotionals, on a plaque from our oldest, in scriptures, on Facebook!  It has come so often without me looking for it that I have started asking God what He wants me to hear and know in this message.  Evidently I am missing something here!  The last one was online from Jesus Calling and spoke loudly to me personally.  The mystery is unraveling.

 "I will fight for you; you need only to be still.  I know how weary you are, My child.  You have been struggling just to keep your head above water and your strength is running low.  Now is the time for you to stop striving and let me fight for you.  I know this is not easy for you to do.  You feel as if you must keep struggling in order to survive, but I am calling you to rest in Me.  I am working on your behalf, so be still, and know that I am God."

I remember when we were going to buy a house in the late 90's.  Joel was really stressed about whether it was the right thing to do or not because of an unforeseen circumstance that popped up.  That night as I was reading Billy Graham's magazine, there was a story so similar to ours.  A house to buy, a circumstance that came up, second guessing a decision but eventually standing firm on buying their house.  For us that felt like God speaking and we moved forward in our purchase.  All went well.

Sometimes when God speaks it is clear and swift, other times it is a mystery we pursue knowing God is guiding us and we can trust Him in the process as we seek understanding of it all.  During this season and with this one verse relentlessly pursuing me, I will keep asking God just what all He wants me to hear.  To know.  To embrace.  And I will intentionally be still to hear from Him.

God loves to communicate with us on an intimate level.  He wants to speak to us, have us speak to Him. And He does give us ample opportunity.  Sometimes it is bold and clear, other times it is surrounded in mystery.  We need only trust Him to do what is best for us as we bend our ear to listen.