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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

What is God doing??

What is the Lord doing? It seem to me that we often wonder what the Lord is up to. Something negative happens in our lives and we think, 'where is God?'  A blessing comes our way and we usually thank Him, but then go on about our business. In our everyday lives though, we are often content to just meet with Him on Sunday morning in the worship, to then hear the Word and that holds us until next Sunday.  Sometimes we spend a little time in the Bible reading or some time in prayer during the week.  Maybe we even go to a Wednesday Night Bible Study if we can, but we are still often left with the question of what the Lord is doing in our lives.  Perhaps we could say it this way, "What's the plan Lord?"  "What's the big picture?"

For the most part, I am right there with you. As a pastor, I have to be at Wednesday night study, and I have to spend quite a few hours in study each week to be able to minister the Word in several services. Yet I too find myself often leaving a service, or time of prayer, and going right back into life without knowing what God is really up to in my day to day life.  I always want to hear his direction, but I sometimes can't seem to hear clearly. 

I certainly don't believe He wants us to know everything, but I do think He wants us to know far more than we do.  So what is God doing?  Why am I at this place in my life now?  What's next?  How do I get there?

I think all, or most of those answers are available to us in prayer and the Word of God. Proverbs 3:6 tells us, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Verse 5, just before this, tells us not to lean to our own understanding.  I believe we lean to our own understanding far too much.  If we aren't hearing clearly from God though, what else are we supposed to do?

It's clear then, that we need to hear more clearly from God. What hinders that?  I'm sure there are lots of things.  If we are regarding iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us (Psalm 66:18)... So, it's not likely that He will keep speaking to us either if there is sin in our lives. If we are too busy with other things, we too won't hear because of distractions.  If we want to hear Him, we have to make meeting with God a real priority.  We also might fail to hear Him because we are simply not diligent in trying to hear, or maybe we don't really want to hear because we are afraid of what he might say (Zech.7:13). (I've been there!) 

I do believe that God wants to speak to all of us.  I think His Word is chocked full of instruction (Proverbs 4:1).  I think as the sons and daughters of God, He desires for us to be led by His spirit (Romans 8:14). Granted though, it seems very difficult to hear Him sometimes even though it shouldn't be.  

This morning in prayer I really met with God.  His presence was overwhelming!  As I write this we are in day 12 of our Corporate Fast, so as you can expect I have spent extra time in pursuit.  I was alone in the church and so I felt no inhibitions of crying out to Him. As He came so near I felt sorrow for our distance from Him, I felt hunger for more of Him, I felt His desire for more of us.  And in that time something occurred to me that I already knew, He wants to guide us but we aren't often close enough to be lead. Peter walked afar off (Luke 22:54), and so do we. The simple, yet not easy, answer to the whole conundrum that we seem to face in this area is: repentance, continual pursuit, then communion (or fellowship) with Him.  It is really that simple... and it's really hard for us to get everything out of His way so that he might be near.  Yet, it's worth it!

John 5:19 says, "Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.'"  We desperately need to get to that place in our relationship to our Heavenly Father.  We can only follow His lead, if we can see/hear what He is doing.

I urge you GO AFTER GOD!  We need Him! Be determined this year to walk close to Him, so you can hear and react to what He is saying. He wants you to hear Him (John 10:27).  He wants to lead you (Isa. 40:11). 

In the Love of our Most Holy God,
Pastor Jerry