LISTENING WHILE I WAIT
I may not want to listen. I may be too busy to stop and listen. I may not know how to listen.
Doesn’t matter… this morning the thunder that rolled over my neighborhood forced me to sit up and listen. In fact, before the first light of day, before the first chirp of feathered friend, I crept downstairs to watch the display of lightening and listen…
“Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right and righteous people live by walking in them.” Hosea 14:9
I finished reading Hosea this morning. I chose to read Hosea because this prophet of God prophesied to the people of Israel during King Hezekiah’s reign. If you have been following along with my Wednesdays are for Waiting posts, you know that King Hezekiah was the ultimate Wait Trainer.
So… what to do while we wait?
Listen to God, that’s what!
Besides rain drops, I hear God’s encouraging words- “stay on my path.”
His path calls me to repent, return to Him, and receive His blessings.
(Hosea 14:1-2)
So-in addition to standing with outstretched arms, praising God for the so-badly-needed-falling-rain-on-our-parched-state blessing, I pour over the amazing chapters of Hosea and listen to God’s words:
“I will be like a refreshing dew from heaven.” Hosea 14:5
During our draught, we have not been able to water our lawns or wash cars. This has been going on for almost a year! I watch literally as my garden turns into a desert. I see with my very eyes how God’s Word and His discipline works its way thorough my life, illustrating what life looks like without God.
If I would have listened I would have been wise, “understood” and
“discerned.”
It’s no surprise that I find myself back in God’s Wait Room. There God reminds me to repent, return, and receive more of Him.
Then I hear God telling me:
“I will heal you.”
“My love will know no bounds.”
“I am the one who answers all your prayers and cares for you.”
Next time you want to hear from God, read a chapter or two from the book of Hosea. What do you hear Him telling you while you wait?
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6 comments:
hkiizjI love the book of Hosea and the beautiful picture of redemption that He shows us through the chapters. I love to sit outside while the sun is coming up with a cup of coffee and just have my thoughts to myself; which always leads to prayer and praise! Thanks for stopping by this morning.
Listening,
Krista
Van, my Sista, I have been so in love with Wednesdays Are For Waiting...What a powerful message it has been to me...First I had to realize I WAS waiting...Then I had to "Train" myself to listen WHILE waiting...Now, I am listening...and thankfully hearing! Acts 3:19 reemphasizes Hosea.."Repent then and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
My answer to this time of waiting was as expected..My husband will be laid-off from his job the end of September. Waiting was hard to hear...does that make sense? But, we have complete peace in the Lord that this was actually MERCY and rescue from an "opressed" situation. Now we are on to our next waiting room...listening...watching...
waiting...God is so good! This will mean change for my family..Big change...but my faith is the King of Kings, my provider, My Ultimate Love!!
I will be sad to see Wednesdays are for Waiting go...But, on to the next "Hot Topic" from God! Can't Wait!! (pun intended!)
Waiting is not easy for me! I hear Him telling me, "I am building you up and making you 'tough enough' for the next season of life"
Thanks so much for your encouraging words on my site!
wait to listen-that's hard-I get very uncomfortable in the "silent" time...that's probably one of the reasons I keep finding myself sent back to the wait room...I no excuse for my impatience I do know from experience the benefits of waiting on the Lord...being in His Presence, being refreshed and restored, fresh understanding and a deeper level of knowledge of His Love and Mercy,restored relationships because after spending time waiting the Lord would give me a new perspective of family,friends,co-workers etc., new insight on resolutions to my current struggles...a fresh understanding of His Word...
I thank you for sharing Hosea with us...
I wish I knew what He was telling me! AS my family waits for a word from Him, we are listening with all our might! But He just keeps telling us to wait! Trust and wait. Ok. He's the boss. But it is sooo hard! Thanks for the encouragement, Van.
Sometimes when we listen, we still have a hard time hearing. Is it that He is silent? Or my ears too clogged? Or the world's noise too loud? Great food for thought, Van!