The other day in class, Dr. Rick Thoman said, "Business is the arch rival of hearing God's voice."
Dr. Thoman said this roughly one hour after I wrote in my journal. I was only planning to put the pen on paper for a couple thoughts as I was finishing my "quiet time" - this is what God had planned ...
10/6/10
What is God saying to me this morning?
God speaks in Exodus 20 - "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image ... You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain ... Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
In Deuteronomy 5:15 it says "...the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath Day."
Then in Hebrews 4 it is stated, "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us, therefore, strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."
The grace and mercy that God has given me allows me to enter His presence. Is entering the presence of God just another thing on my "To Do" list?
God wants me given'er for six days and spend one day resting in His presence. I have been taken out of a sinful dead-end life and God has opened the doors into His throne room. He is standing there with a smile on His face, welcoming me in, wanting me to sit and listen to Him. Each and every day God wants me to come into His presence, see His glory, remember how He has saved me, and He wants to overwhelm me with His unconditional love so that I can go about my day; blessed to be a blessing.
Life is busy - so much work to do, tests to take, grades to make, assignments to finish, people to see, and fun things to enjoy. There seems to be more and more stuff adding to the already busy schedule, but there is still only 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week.
Jeremy Erickson recorded a song called "Slow Dance" a few years back. As I write, the lyrics from "Slow Dance" run through my mind ...
"Have you ever watched kids on a merry go round,
Or listened to the rain, slappin the ground?
Have you ever watched a butterfly's erratic flight,
or gazed at the sun fading into night?
Do you run through each day, on the fly?
When you ask "How are you?" Do you hear the reply?
When your day is done, do you lie in your bed,
with the next hundred chores runnin through your head?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast.
The time is short now, the music won't last.
Have you ever told your kids, you would do it tomorrow,
and in your haste not seeing their sorrow?
Have you ever lost touch, let a good friendship die?
Cuz you never have the time to stop and say "Hi?"
When you run so fast gettin somewhere,
you miss half the fun gettin there.
When you worry and hurry, through your day,
it's like an unopened gift, thrown away.
Life is not a gift, so do take it slower,
when you hear the music before this song is over.
You better slow down, don't dance so fast.
The time is short now, the music won't last."
Everyday is a gift from God - what do I do with the gift?
Am I finding my rest in Him?
Is my "quiet time" just another thing on my schedule? Is my heart quiet?
Can God's voice be heard over everything else in everyday life?
Do I hear God's voice? Ever?
