Last night I had the opportunity to speak to one of our breakout classes at Highland. We've been doing a series on Spiritual Formation. Jim Clark, one of our elders, asked me to do one of the sessions in his class on Spiritual Discipline. My subject was "Hungering for His Word". Oh yeah, I can do that. If there's one thing I hunger for - that's it. The coolest thing happened while I was writing one day. I sat down at the computer and asked God to come on and write this thing for me when I distinctly heard Him say "go outside". It wasn't "Go Outside". It was definitely a whispered suggestion. Isn't it funny how I know the difference? Anyway, I figured since nothing was coming here at the computer I should probably take that suggestion and run with it. So, I went outside. And this is what I received:
"God’s Word is all around us. Psalm 19:1 tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech. Night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Do you know that every time the sun rises God is telling you of His unfailing love for you? In Psalm 90 Moses prays for God to “satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” Every morning He sends us a reminder of His love and how only His love can satisfy us and bring us joy and gladness. Think about that the next time you realize the sun rose today or you’re putting on your sunglasses because it’s so bright out and ask Him to give you a hunger for His word. You don’t have to be holed up with your Bible to be satisfied by His Word. But you do need to listen for His Word around you. In Psalm 89:37 even the moon is referred to as a faithful witness.” Morning and night His Word goes out to us.
I can become so obsessed with the discipline of Bible Study and the need to do what I think God wants me to do that I forget to take time to savor what He’d been feeding me. Have you ever experienced this in your day-to-day life? You’re so busy going about your days getting it all done that you forget to live life? Have you ever eaten just because it’s noon and you’re supposed to? I’m finding it’s more important to be in tune to what He wants you to study and read and do and not do. There are times He wants to speak Words only He can speak. And I am hungering for those times and those words today. I want to step outside and hear His words sung over me by the birds. I want to feel His caress as the breeze blows past my face. I want to step out my back door and receive the bouquet of flowers He has left for me today and know I am His beloved. I want to hear the wind in the trees and know He is speaking to me of His freshness and grace. When I sit through a thunderstorm I want to hear His power and glory and I want rainbows to take me back to His Word and remind me of His many promises. When I hear dogs barking I want to know His protection over me. When was the last time you laid out in the grass, looked up at the clouds and walked thru God’s art gallery? I am always delighted when I see a picture in the clouds. Reminders of God’s Word surround us everyday. We only need to take the time to savor the feast He’s bringing to the table. Psalm 63:5 tells me “my soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods” and my response is “with singing lips my mouth will praise You.” He longs for us to be satisfied and spend time in worship as well as in His Word. And all these things bring me clamoring back to His Word. It seems just when I think I am satiated I become hungry again. "
God is so very good to me. I love it when I finally get willing and He uses me. That's happening more and more. I think I'm finally beginning to get it. Four years ago if you had told me I would be speaking to 100 + people in a Wednesday night class at church I'd have laughed. Now I actually enjoy it. I really love the fact that it's not me - it's Him. God has given me a voice and it's His. I love that! Now that is something in which I can have confidence. So for today I am at peace and basking in the Father's love. Sometime today walk outside and see what He has to say to you. Ask Him to speak. He will.
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