And those who seek me diligently will find me.” Proverbs 8:17
In my oftentimes well known to those close to me hurry-flurry-do-so-very-much-so-quickly way, I communicated to a dear sister in the Lord who is my beloved co-laborer in ministry a need I believed we had that we should probably act on so we could move forward in the season of growth with which the Lord had blesses us for His glory.
Of course her answer was that she was in total agreement with me that we should go ahead and take the action I had suggested right away, wasn’t it? Well, not exactly. In fact, not at all. In fact, she communicated something back to me that was something I have found myself asking her – and others – numerous times in recent years. Only it was a bit different – and convicting – to be on the receiving end of this message this time around instead of the one doling it out.
“What is the Lord saying to you?” she asked me in an email.
What? Pardon me? Excuse me? Are you kidding me? Why was she asking me this? Really, she should have known better, shouldn’t she have? She knew I am smart, right? She knew I know what I’m doing, right? She knew I don’t exactly do stuff impulsively, right? That I don’t act according to my fleshly wisdom instead of seeking the Lord and waiting on and hearing and obeying Him, right?
Sure, in truth, she knows me perfectly well. I’m just as human as the rest of us. And just as susceptible as any of us of to falling into the dangerous place of thinking I should be able to and can figure stuff out on my own without the Lord and get it right and be pleasing to Him and succeed in living to bring Him honor and glory. Oh, how I needed the reminder!
Why did she ask me the question? WHAT IS THE LORD SAYING TO YOU? Because the Lord was using my precious sister and friend to remind me that in LIVING FOR CHRIST I need to SEEK CHRIST and WAIT ON CHRIST and HEAR CHRIST and OBEY CHRIST and not go rushing forward in the flesh without a single second of thought given to the Lord. The Lord used her to get me in that case to WAIT but that was not all. The message He gave me through her I knew by His Spirit is a message for you also.
WHAT IS THE LORD SAYING TO YOU? When you make decisions in your life, whether big or small, whether concerning long-term matters or matters right at hand in the next few moments or hours etc., are you rushing forward led by your flesh or are you SEEKING THE LORD and ASKING HIM so that you can HEAR WHAT THE LORD IS SAYING TO YOU so that you can loving and humbly and reverently SUBMIT TO HIM in OBEDIENCE TO HIM because JESUS CHRIST IS LORD?
Know something? I wasn’t trying to be disobedient. I wasn’t trying to leave God out of the picture. I wasn’t trying to turn my back on Him. In fact, I hadn’t turned my back on Him. I was just in a hurry and had simply forgotten. And needed the reminder.
And maybe you do too. Need the reminder, that is.
SEEK THE LORD on an ongoing basis.
WHAT IS THE LORD SAYING TO YOU?
Whatever He speaks to your heart, measure it against the Bible because He only and always speaks in line with His Word. Then submit yourself to His loving glorious forever lordship and OBEY!