Listening

I waited patiently for the Lord,
and He turned to me and heard my cry for help.
He brought me up from a desolate pit,
out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock,making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
How happy is the man who has put his trust in the Lord
and has not turned to the proud or to those who run after lies!
Lord my God, You have done many things—
Your wonderful works and Your plans for us; none can compare with You.
If I were to report and speak of them, they are more than can be told.
You do not delight in sacrifice and offering; You open my ears to listen.
You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering.
Then I said, “See, I have come; it is written about me in the volume of the scroll.
I delight to do Your will, my God; Your instruction lives within me.      Psalm 40:1-8 (HCSB)

Are you listening for God to make His plan known to you? Are you feeling like you are entering a time of change but want so much to be on God’s plan and His timing of when to move and where to move? Yes, me too.

This psalm is the cry of my heart. Read the whole psalm – it’s only 17 verses. It’s going to lay open on my desk today and I am going to be praying it for myself and others who are seeking God in their plans.

Wait patiently. Oh, this is so hard for me. I have always thought that the best way to get from Point A to Point B was to go in a straight line – quickly! But the psalmists says not to jump out but to wait because He is going to answer. Peter, impetuous Peter, learned that God does not move slowly but in His perfect timing (2 Peter 3:9). In the wait, it is so important for me to be open and prayerful to hear God when He gives the “Move” command.

With trust comes joy. There will be joy when I “let go and let God”. That may sound like a cliché but there is truth many times in those memorable words. God does not want to be my co-pilot. He is the pilot. I am the one who is sitting in the side seat and learning from the Master. The waiting may not be easy for me but when I do move with God there is great joy because I put my trust in Him for the all of His plan, not just whatever ‘parts’ I like.

Remember how God has been my guide. Remembering how God has worked in my life is a great way for me to spend my time while I am waiting. This is where my Prayer Journal has come in handy – because it is a journal of the seasons in my life. It shows me how I cried out to God – and how He responded. It is a journal of faith that I might not remember with such clarity and joy if I had not written it down. Ask God to recall His ways in your life.

God’s lesson will take root in my heart. And in each cry – wait – and answer – there is a lesson for me to learn. And I want to learn. I do not want to repeat a class or go to a remedial class! What are the books of the Bible but the ‘lesson books’ of those who have gone before me! It is God’s teachings to His children. He shows me that He has different ‘styles’ for each child and for each season. I have read Psalm 23 maybe a thousand times and yet there is always something new to hear and learn. That is the way God teaches – not stale words but fresh Bread that He offers every day. “I desire to do Your will, LORD. Your lessons live inside of me.” (verse 8, my paraphrase)

And there’s the bottom line – or the main point for me today – God is looking inside of me to see if I have an open and willing heart for His plan. If I am open, then He knows me and my weaknesses. God will make sure that I do not “miss” His plan. He will speak it so I hear and hear His confirmation, His Spirit to my spirit. He is faithful.

Breathe on Me sung by Hillsong Worship Team – Darlene Zschech