What my soul really needs…what my leap-day showed me…
done by my Sneak Peek Friday friend, Sadee Schilling @apicturebooklife
For the past week I have been thinking about a place in the Bible that is so powerful, yet sad at the same time…Exodus 20:18-21, where Jehovah God is meeting in the wilderness with Israel for the first time –
18All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” 20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” 21So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.
God has so desired to fellowship with us! From the Creation forward, it could be said that this fellowship, this communion, has been all He has desired and worked and reworked towards! The sad thing is, that the people begged to not hear His voice! I have so hungered to hear Him, and have wonderfully so! But lately, there are so many other voices that have gotten in the way…
At the beginning of the year I spent time with Him, and one of the most profound things He said to me was “Let Me be your business coach”! Amazing! You would think that I jumped right in to listening for His instructions, but it was like I was frozen. I became have been as the Israelites, listening to others, not begging to not hear His voice – just ignoring making the time to hear, ignoring writing down what His Spirit whispered anyway.
Yesterday was leap-day. An extra day – and so I took a little “holiday” for normal and focused on many unfinished projects and asking Him (finally) just what He wanted this business thing to look like…*sigh*, why did I take so long? He really just re-itereated to listen for His voice. I realized I had a fear that He would ask me to share the deeply intimate, personal relationship we have. I am not good at vulnerability (funny for a counselor to say, right?) I can be vulnerable with Him, but people have disappointed many times; I tend to guard my heart until trustworthiness has been proven…and just how does that get proven in the online community? I simply don’t know…
And then I felt Him nudging me to read in this devotional this morning: God Calling… here is the reading for March 1st…
Shower Love
I always hear your cry. No sound escapes Me.
Many, many in the world cry to Me, but oh! how few wait to hear Me speak to them and yet to the soul, My speaking to it matters so much.
My words are Life. Think then, to hear Me speak is to find Life, and healing and strength. Trust Me in all things. Love showered on all brings truly a quick return.
Just carry out My wishes and leave Me to carry out yours. Treat Me as Savior and King, but also with the tender intimacy of One much beloved.
Keep to the rules I have laid down for you, persistently, perseveringly, lovingly, patiently, hopefully, and in faith, and every mountain of difficulty shall be laid low, the rough places of poverty shall be made smooth, and all who know you shall know that I, your Lord, am the Lord.
And all I can say is – “Yes, Lord!”
And please pray for me and others that you know are needing to focus in on hearing Him!
