Monday Meditation~The Bell Tolls for You!

"The Lord is near."  Philippians 4:5b (NIV)

Last week as I had my quiet time, a devotion by Sarah Young in Jesus Calling resonated in my soul.  As she wrote of words that Jesus would speak to us, she said, "I am with you. I am with you. I am with you. Heaven's bells continually peal with that promise of My presence....When you step back into the mainstream of life, strain to hear those glorious bells; I am with you. I am with you. I am with you."

This really struck a chord with me. We live in a neighborhood with a clock tower that chimes the hour...and the quarter hour...and the half hour...and the three quarter hour. What before were just bells chiming the time of day, now have become constant reminders that God is with us. God is with us. God is with us. Ah, what a sweet sound!

No matter what time of day or night, whether life flows like a tranquil stream or blows like the winds of a hurricane, remember the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 and the fulfillment revealed to Joseph in Matthew 1:23 that says, "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel-which means, 'God with us.'"

Yes, God is with us. God is with us. God is with us.

Wrap your heart around that promise today and embrace His presence.

His Word reminds us, "Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."  Jeremiah 29:12-13

Listen. Do you hear it? The bell tolls for you.

Are You Listening?

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow Me." John 10:27 (NIV)

One day this week I read this sentence in Sarah Young's devotional, Jesus Calling, "As you listen to birds calling to one another, hear also My Love-call to you."

Immediately I became aware of the melodic birdsong wafting on the breeze.

Funny, I don't think I had heard them yet that morning.

I wasn't listening.

They were singing their little hearts out, but I was missing out on the concert because I was tuned out.

After reading the devotional entry and spending some time in John 10, my consciousness took flight. It dawned on me that just as I was oblivious to the song of the birds, I'm often deaf to the voice of the Lord. Just not listening. And not even hearing. Totally unaware.

How can I follow Him...or trust Him...or hear Him utter His Love-call if I'm not in active pursuit and listening intentionally?

He is always speaking. Through His Word. Through Christians He's placed in our paths. Via pastors, teachers, writers. And yes, also through nature. In the sounds. In the beauty.

The photo above illustrates this perfectly for me. God and I have this little love sign between us. He shows me things in threes and I "hear" Him say, "I. Love. You." Sometimes it's three birds together. Other times it's other creatures...squirrels, deer...and yes, even groundhogs!

I love how He loves me.

He loves you too! He speaks your "love language"!

Are you listening? How is He speaking to you?

Misappropriated Time

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away." Matthew 24:35 (NIV)

I got sucked in. 

Fast.

Facebook and Twitter are fun and well...very social (hence the name social networking), but vicious devourers of my time. I try to keep a handle on it. Sometimes using great restraint, sometimes not so much.

And then I was introduced to Pinterest.

Oh my. Talk about a whole new world (yes, you need to chime in on the tune from Aladdin) opening up! I dove right in to photos of dreamy libraries, home decor, delectable treats of every kind...and yes, even some spiritual inspiration.

But before I knew it, I had ventured far from the shore of "just a few minutes" and into the depths of "Oh no! Where did the last hour go???" 

And today that was before my quiet time.

I managed to gain control and head toward some time in His Word.

Through Sarah Young and the Holy Spirit, I clearly felt God's reprimand for failing to "Seek Him first" (Matt. 6:33).  The devotion for today said, "The world is waiting to squeeze you into its mold and to crowd out time devoted to Me....Listen to Me above the clamor of voices trying to distract you. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, for He and I work in perfect harmony. Be still and attentive in My Presence."

I truly want to give Him the firstfruits of my day. And I need His help.

Am I saying that social media is bad? No. We just need to seek balance and beseech the Holy Spirit to control our minds and be louder than the clamor of voices trying to distract us.

Lord, help us to seek You first. To prepare our hearts and minds for the day ahead. To allow You to set the tone and the pace for the journey before us. May we hear Your whispers above the clamor that threatens our focus. Draw us to Your Holy Place.                                                        

Monday Meditation~The Desire of Your Heart

"Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

What is the desire of your heart?

Take a minute and think about it.

Then ponder our key verse for today.

What does that mean to you?

I've often heard it said that if we are "delighting" in the Lord...spending time in His presence, worshipping Him, praising Him, honoring Him, seeking to do His will...then our desires would be transformed into His desires for us.

That felt sufficient for me.

And much more noble than breezing by the "delight yourself in the Lord" part and just praying for Him to give you the desires of your heart...the storybook romance, the house of your dreams, a shiny new car, the ideal job, perfect children, a new wardrobe...whatever they may be.

Today I read words that will forever change my perspective on that verse. In Sarah Young's wonderful devotion book, Jesus Calling, she writes (as though Jesus were speaking), "Delight yourself in Me, for I am the deepest Desire of your heart."

Whether we realize it or not, He is our desire.

We were created with a void, a need, a desire that can only be filled by Jesus.  He is our heart's desire.

Oh that we would delight in that truth.

Lord, help us to see the wonders of Your Word and the promises held within. May Your Holy Spirit guide us toward an understanding of the mysteries of Your great love. Be our desire. Help us to delight in You and You alone.