This response was given to the Seeking Together question “Jesus, what are You saying to me?”:
Jesus, help me to recognize Your voice whether it is through spectacular God events or Your still small voice. (I reflected on 1 Kings 19:9–15.)
You are always speaking, acting, and doing as you choose — You are God! Help me recognize Your authentic voice and actions. You are always calling me to live a life of Holy Love. You always want others to see You through my life loving, caring, giving, living selflessly, reaching and loving the least, the hurting, the lost, the dying, the hungry, and those with lifestyles I don’t understand. (I reflected on Matthew 25:31–40).
I believe Jesus is also saying this to our church!
As I reflected on this heart cry to hear the voice of God, I was encouraged by the reminder that is He is always speaking and acting, even when I am oblivious. The Spirit led this person to 1 Kings 19, where the Lord pursues Elijah, who has given up and run away, to meet with him, talk with him, and restore him for action. It brought to my mind a quote attributed to John Stott, “The Bible isn’t the story of people trying to discover God, but God reaching out to find us.”
- Holy Spirit, how have You been speaking to me specifically and differently than I expected?
- What must we do (not just as individuals, but as the church) to posture ourselves to hear the voice of God initiating our healing and restoration?
- How is the Lord preparing me/our church for our next assignment from Him to embody Holy Love — especially to those Jesus referenced in Matthew 25:31–40?
Prayer
Father, we thank You for a love that is active and reaching for us. Holy Spirit, help us to recognize and tune out all the noise, all the seductive voices of this world, and the sound of the enemy, so that we are attuned only to You. Break open the boxes we have created for You, and speak to us through both “miraculous God events and Your still small voice.”
Help us to open our hands along with our ears to receive what You have for us and offer it back to the world. In moments when we are too tired or feel too alone to go on mission or even just to go on, Father, we trust You to find us and minister to our deepest places of need. I pray for the Free Methodist Church: Lord, we want to be made whole and holy, and we want to follow Your voice toward healing and shalom
Father, Son, and Spirit, give us ears to hear and obey.