There’s one particular time in the past few years when I wondered 1) Is
this God, indigestion, or a neurological breakdown? 2) If it is God, why in the
world is He telling me this? 3) Doesn’t He realize this is way too hard for me?
4) Am I just totally whacked out of my mind?
I’ve wrestled within myself and with the Almighty.
Wrestled with the Almighty? Talk about being out of my mind! What sane
person does that? Okay. Jacob did, and he took a wallop in the hip. Well, I’ve
already got aching hips along with all my other joints, so I’ll skip that
argument.
I will tell you, though, I was brought to tears, laid low—literally
falling prostrate across a table with my hands outstretched and turned upward,
ready to receive whatever God told me. (No, I wasn’t stretched out on the floor
because of—well, the aching-joint thing.)
But I’ve cried hard tears over what God told me—if it’s Him. I’m still
not 100% sure because, again, how could God whisper something so strange? I
even went to the alter at church and prayed with our pastor, telling him,
“God’s asking me to do something that seems beyond me. I need His help.”
Here’s the thing: If God is the One whispering to me, then I’ve
already told Him long ago I’d obey. And, to be honest, I tried to keep that
commitment over the decades.
IF God is nudging, can it not make sense?
No. If God nudges, whispers, shouts—He always makes sense—even if
what I’m seeing at my end seems totally impossible, loopy, too far out there to
be real.
When I was in my early 20s (and already asked Jesus into my life as Lord
and Savior many years before that), I committed my life to serve God fully. Then
and since I put on my “work clothes,” one item being the Mind of God.
God’s Mind? I Corinthians 2:16 and Philippians 2:5 will help you
understand. The Lord God Himself tells us to put on the Mind of Christ. In this
way, we will know what is His good and perfect will. We’ll think like Him.
So, when I’m seeking God, I actually imagine myself picking up that
head-covering/mind wrap and wearing it. Because, without that, how do I know
what He wants? Through His Word this directs me, as if there’s a headlamp
brightly shining on a path I couldn’t see otherwise.
Now, I’ve contradicted myself. If I have God’s Mind-Cap on, then
shouldn’t I know for sure Who is telling me to prepare for the “strange” thing
I’ve heard?
But I confess. I’m flawed. And, although I should know, I don’t. Or is
it, instead, that I’m not wanting to know what He’s saying? Hmm.
So, why am I sharing this with you? Because maybe you wrestle the same
as I. Maybe you doubt at times who is speaking to your heart. Maybe you
need to know it’s possible for God to ask you to do something big and be able
to tell Him, “Speak, Lord, your servant hears you.”
Ah! There it is! Servant.
A true servant doesn’t question. A true servant obeys the master, even
when the request doesn’t make sense.
From God’s point-of-view, what He
asks always makes sense. Consider these examples:
Take
your only son Isaac and slay him.
Drench
the alter of sacrifice before igniting the flames.
Build
an ark.
Pick
five smooth stones and go deal with a giant.
Break
your pitchers, then charge the sleeping enemy.
Virgin,
you will have a Son and name Him Jesus.
Dunk
in the dirty Jordon River seven times.
…and the list goes on. No, none of those
things “made sense,” but they all did. They were needful. All-important.
This God of ours—Almighty, all-knowing, all-caring, all-powerful!
Perhaps this sets us more in awe when we see the fruition of His not-making
sense make perfect sense when the task is completed.
So, should God whisper something that doesn’t make sense to you, after
you’re sure you have no fever and don’t need an antacid, ready yourself to
accept what’s to come.
It might be good. It might seem bad. Whatever the case, He will be the
Master of it and already knows the end since the beginning. You can rest in
that.
Master, speak! Thy servant heareth,
waiting for thy gracious word,
Longing for thy voice that cheereth,
Master, let it now be heard.
I am list’ning, Lord, for thee; what hast
thou to say to me?
Speak to me by name, O Master, let me know
it is to me;
Speak, that I may follow faster, with a
step more firm and free,
Where the Shepherd leads the flock, in the
shadow of the Rock…
…Master, speak! And make me ready, when
thy voice is truly heard,
With obedience glad and steady, still to
follow ev’ry word.
I am listening, Lord, for thee: Master,
speak, oh speak to me!
(from Master,
Speak! Thy Servant Heareth by Frances Ridley Havergal, 1867, public domain)
#willofGod #prayer
#obedience #servant