In a Still Small Voice He Speaks

September 8, 2017

Good morning.  There sure seems to be a lot of “natural disasters” going on today, huh?  Fires in the west.  Hurricanes in the southeast.  Earthquakes in Mexico.  

I saw the other day that with all of these things going on, it appeared as though God was trying to get our attention.  It gave me pause, as I considered how the Bible teaches that God speaks in a still, small voice.  “Hmn.”  I wondered.  “How many people are listening for His voice instead of trying to put Him into some man-made model of whom they presume my Lord to be?”

We all have our own visions and assumptions of what we think God’s attributes are and if He was this then such and such.  Or if God was that then blah blah blah.  The thing is though, friends, it doesn’t matter what we think.  What matters is that He is.  Somehow we keep forgetting that we are here for His pleasure and not the other way around.

That being said, these weather events going on have gotten many people’s attention.  It’s great to see Texans and other Americans pulling together as they seek survival and put aside petty differences.  I’m sure that many are reconsidering a lot of things as their lives become more focused on internal rather than material possessions.  What I want to leave you with though is this:  with all of the chaos going on, would you please take a moment to be still?  A moment to listen--not to nature but to the Creator of the world?  Many of you who read this blog regularly know that I am in the process of doing the study by Lysa TerKeurst Uninvited.  The other night she brought out a point in one of the video sessions about the word “terrified.”  Its meaning in Mark 6:50 is explained by Lysa as “tarasso, which means to set in motion what needs to remain still.”  She went on to tell how too often we “innocently” start something that leads to something else and on to another event and before one realizes it, it has snowballed into something that never should have been.  Consequences for “one little thing” can have tremendous repercussions that one may not ever recover from.

In closing, I again ask you to be still.  Ponder what is going on in the world, surely, but more importantly, consider what is going on in your heart that God is speaking to you about.  It could be He uses a hurricane to get your attention but then again, as evidenced in the life of Elijah-- and to the nations of the world as when He said in Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”--probably not.  

Let’s pray!

Dear Lord, settle us today, I ask.  Still us.  Speak to us.  Refine us and make us more like Jesus is my prayer.  This life is not about what You can do to make us happy and grant all of our wishes.  No Sir.  It is supposed to be about what we can do to bring glory to You.  Oh that we would!  

Father?  Forgive us again and again for thinking otherwise.  May we exalt You today and every day is my hope.  I may not have publicly said it in a while but I love You, Lord.  I am amazed and in awe of Your creation, obviously, but I am mostly dumbfounded by Your patience, love, and willingness to give us all so many opportunities to turn to You--not just when crises happen, Father, but at all times.  We tend to forget You when things are going our way, don’t we?  Sigh.  Oh Lord, breathe on us this very moment, I ask, so that we might be refreshed and stand again in the midst of the storms.  I ask this in the name of Jesus, the Marvelous One.  Amen!

You Should See The Other Guy

Good morning!  It's been nearly a week since my last blog.  I just couldn't find the words to write that would help me to express the meandering thoughts wandering through my mind.  Yeah, I was still recovering from my hateful cold, trying to reconcile the thoughts about my sister-in-law's passing, my everyday issues, and oh yeah:  my fears about the skin cancers growing in my head.

"What's it like inside the bubble?  Does your head ever give you trouble?  It's no sin; trade it in.  Hang on:  help is on its way!"  

The Little River Band crooned this song way back when and it's one of my favorites.  However, I don't know of a soul who would trade my head, my mind, for theirs.  

The chorus of the song goes like this:  

Hang on, help is on its way
I'll be there as fast as I can
"Hang on," a tiny voice did say
From somewhere deep inside the inner man

Hmn.  Kind of reminds me of this verse from Jeremiah 30:17 that goes like this:

 But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord, 

"A tiny voice" could also be described as a still, small voice, correct?  "From deep inside the inner man" could refer to our soul.  These lyrics combined with the promise, the declaration of God when He said He "will restore you to health and heal your wounds" gives me much joy.  Help is on His way, as is restoration.  Whatever the cancer is inside of us, friends, God is there to heal us.  For you see, cancer is defined as:  a practice or phenomenon perceived to be evil or destructive and hard to contain or eradicate.  For me, my mind is a constant battlefield, and the disease of self is rampant in it.  Add to that my physical infirmities and I am indeed a man in need of a Saviour.  

Let's face it:  we all have our stories of heartbreak and disillusionment.  We all have our private pains--whether physical, emotional, or both.  The trick is how we deal with them.  The comfort of sharing our stories and having others pray for and with us is unspeakable.  The satisfaction of the good reports when those prayers are answered is a relief like none other.  

Like me, the scars left behind will be evident for a while.  I was hesitant to post this picture but I did so to remind me, to leave a vivid portrait of what cancer does.  While it is a horrid disease and has claimed far too many loved ones throughout the ages, it can be contained.  It can be eradicated.  The Great Physician can take His holy blade and cut it from our hearts, our bodies, and our spirits.  It doesn't have to destroy us.  Does it hurt, when He takes our yuck out?  Sure.  Unfortunately, for those sins that are so deep, there isn't a numbing shot to dull the effects as the knife does its handiwork.  There aren't pain pills for the upcoming hurt nor is there a bandage to hide the hideousness left behind.  But there is a Comforter nearby to hold our hands.  There is a Listener Who wants to hear our sorrows rather than interrupting us to share His own war stories when we just need someone to hear us grieve.  And there is that wonderful promise He gave us when He said He'd never leave us nor forsake us and that He'd restore us.

As I conclude, my mind is already jumping ahead to next week when I go have my stitches removed and get to repeat this operation for another part of my body that has been cancer stricken.  Isn't that the way it goes?  We get one area of our lives under control and then another is waiting, biding its time to damage other areas of our bodies?  These consequences from previous bad behaviors and/or choices that led to this sickness cannot be changed, cannot be undone.  What can happen though is that the stimulus can be contained, can be refrained from being committed again, and can be avoided when proper diligence is paid to be holy.  And yes, I know there will be some times when things happen that I have no control over as I am tested again physically and emotionally as the devil continues trying to kill, destroy, and steal my joy.  That's when in my weakness, I must allow Jesus Christ to be strong in me.  My hope is that you will make this choice as well.

Let's pray!

Dear Lord, thank You.  Thank You for the cancers in me.  No, I am not glad they are there but the lessons You teach me through them show how much I need You.  They show the ugliness of this world and point me to the promise of the one to come where there is no sickness, no pain, no dying.  The day is coming when You will have the final victory, Lord, and it can't come soon enough!

For my friends, loved ones, and those I do not know who are suffering from cancer, from loneliness, from heartbreak, and from stolen joy, I pray that You will be their strength today.  Father, I pray that You will embrace them so tightly and securely that they cannot help but sing in the midst of their struggles, cannot help but praise Your name for the wonderful Saviour You are, and cannot help but share their stories with others so that they too can point others to You.

Lord God, I love you.  I appreciate You.  I anticipate the day I get to meet You face to face.  Until then, keep me.  Settle me.  Still me.  Love me.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.