Calmed by God’s Wisdom

Our Sunday was such a blessing that I’ve braced myself for an attack from the devil. He didn’t do anything much yesterday, but the world news this morning put me in a slump. The fires in CA are to worsen, hitting the areas where we once lived and have friends. My prayers feel like a drop in an ocean of need. The devil’s attack on my emotions is a pittance compared to what these people are going through.

The Lord brings powerful thoughts from Charnock’s book, and even though the dangers remain, God also remains. Charnock reminds me that Satan’s intentions can be what they will, even seem to be working, but God is able to outwit him in his strategies, baffle him in his plans and even use him as an instrument for the good of His people even though this evil entity designs nothing but lies, hurt and destruction.

The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment. (2 Peter 2:9)

As I wonder why God does not move now, Charnock also reminds me that in denials or delays of answers of prayer, God is gracious to hear; but He is wise to answer in an acceptable time, and help us at the right time. We want things now, like rain, no wind, great power in the fire fighters efforts, but do any of us really know what to ask for or the timing of it?

For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26)

Not only is God's timing perfect, but in all evils threatened to so many people by this enemy and in these fires, God knows and has wisdom concerning anyone or anything that looks as if it or they can outsmart Him. “He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.” (Job 5:13)

I’m also reminded that God defeated the serpent in the first net he laid and “brought a glorious salvation out of hell’s rubbish.” He is just as skillful to disappoint the after-game of the devil’s helpers, the policies of hell, and the subtlety of the world, because… “The wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness.’ ” (1 Corinthians 3:19) The Word of God also says this:

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psalm 2:2–6)
No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord. (Proverbs 21:30)
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

The gospel itself is a declaration of God’s power over Satan and all things. The Son of God bowed down to death upon a cross for the satisfaction of justice and rose triumphantly out of the grave to declare God’s justice was satisfied! Then Jesus was exalted to heaven to intercede for us; and will return into the world to receive us, and invest us with a glory forever with Himself! This overrules all powers, even that of a raging fire. “To the only wise God be glory through Jesus Christ, for ever!”

PRAY: You gave me Scripture that I might know You, learn patience as I yield to Your will, be comforted and live in hope, no matter what is going on in my life or in the world. I pray for thousands who suffer to know the same — and soon — yet trust You because Your wisdom is far greater than mine. You will take care of Your people.

Making Music, Being Heard

For me there is nothing more frustrating than not being heard. This isn’t about being agreed with or getting someone to do what I want. It is about being treated as if I were silent or invisible, that my words are so insignificant that they simply are given no attention whatsoever.

God has shown me that I can do a few things to ensure that I’m heard. One is to not talk all the time. If I am yapping constantly about nothing in particular, others shut their ears in self-defense. Then when I’ve something important to say, they don’t notice, sort of like the boy who constantly cried wolf. When the wolf actually showed up, no one listened.

Another thing is to listen, really listen, to others. I don’t have to agree with what they say, but when I listen, it shows respect for them and their ideas. Often, what goes around comes around. Besides, things may come out that another person didn’t plan to say, but because I am listening—without judgment, which is important—that person feels confident to bare their soul and speak what is on their heart.

A third thing is being responsible with what I hear. If someone tells me something in confidence, of course I shouldn’t yap about it to others, but there is more that I can do. I can take to heart what is on their heart and pray for them. This also helps me be “other focused” so when I talk, my words are not so likely to be all about me.

The fourth is simple, but this one often escapes me. To be heard when I speak, I need to ask for feedback. Every spouse knows that you can talk and while your husband (or wife) seems to be listening, they are really thinking about tomorrow’s football game or next week’s dinner invitation. We are simply like that. So when I say something, I need to ask my husband to affirm what I say, sometimes by repeating it back, but mostly by asking questions.

It isn’t always my fault that others don’t listen. They might have problems on their mind, have heard it twenty-five times already, or are just being rude. In those cases, I need to be aware and govern my speech accordingly.

The Bible suggests that God hears everything. While I cannot imagine how He can discern individual voices in the cacophony of sounds going out into the air, I know that because He is God, He is able to hear me talking, even know my thoughts, and at the same time, hear everyone else in the world and know their thoughts. Amazing!

1 John 5:14-15 is even more amazing. It says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

God is a good listener. He doesn’t talk all the time, but pays attention. Further, He takes responsibility for what He hears. He knows what to do about the things we share with Him.

For instance, I’m praying for wisdom regarding a family situation. He is able to convey to me the best action I can take, the words I need to say (or not), and orchestrate the timing so His solution works.

However, prayer is a request for feedback. Other than simple praise, every biblical prayer asks God to do something. Most of the time it is that He responds to a need, but sometimes I’ve prayed with, “God, if You are listening, let me know” and He lets me know by answering my prayer.

There is a caveat to this: “if we ask anything according to His will.” I don’t boss God around with my petitions. One sure way to make people stop listening to me is by constantly telling them what to do and this is an even bigger insult to the wisdom and sovereignty of God. Who am I to tell Him what to do?

Instead, I need to find out His purposes and desires, learn how He thinks, quit wanting my own way, and forever put away the notion that He is a cosmic vending machine.

Someone explained that praying in the will of God is like learning to play with a symphony orchestra. Most first efforts are out of tune, even producing a screeching discord, but as the band plays on and as I learn the music and listen, eventually my playing (and my praying) will not be just noise. It will fit in and flow along with the lovely sound of His will. Even better, the Maestro Himself will hear my notes and let me know that He is listening by making my music part of His glorious sound.

Stop—and Listen

Just the idea of not eating for an extended period of time is almost as bad as the headache I get if I try it. Fasting is not easy for me. However, I do know the alertness that comes when a person is closer to ‘running on empty’ than on ‘stuffed to the eyeballs’ with food.

The Bible says a bit about fasting. Christians have written books about how to do it. In my understanding, the intention is to have your focus off food and other bodily demands so you can concentrate on the Lord and on hearing His voice.

I’m told that the headaches happen to some people and drinking lots of water will help keep them away. Doesn’t work for me. What does work is eating far less than normal, just enough to quell hunger pangs. My mind becomes sharper and more alert.

Another aid to concentration is having my body doing something that requires little or no thought, like riding a stationery bike or walking. I can pray and concentrate on God far better when I’m pounding the sidewalk than I can when sitting in a chair or kneeling (my back interrupts all the time and yells at me).

Some of the most creative ideas come to me when I walk and pray. God explains perplexities, offers solutions to problems, and pops into my head innovative ways to do things. Instead of letting people think I’m so creative, I can tell them that it is God who gives me new ideas, and most of them come as a total surprise to me.

In the early church, the leaders knew how to focus so they could hear God. They too were often surprised by His input. As they gathered in Antioch and “while they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”

Their minds were focused in worship and made keen by ignoring the demands of their stomachs. They were in a position to hear what God wanted and He didn’t disappoint them. He asked that they send two men, named specifically, out to do a job for Him.

I wonder if they were stunned that He wanted them to send two of their most prominent leaders. Would they have listened had the idea come through either one of them? If Paul told them he wanted to go on this work, would they have been as willing to let him go?

Maybe they would. In our church, our pastor heard the call of God to leave our congregation for a time and go to another country where he would teach and do other tasks in a missionary school. He was shocked. He had a job. He didn’t know what to say to the rest of us. God kept nudging so he did make this known to the elders of the church, and they prayed and gave their immediate support. When it came to the congregation, we prayed seeking God’s will, realizing He wanted our best, our main leader to leave us for a few months. His answer came back and when we voted, the result was 100% yes to allow him to go. That was months ago. (Our pastor returns this week.)

I could record dozens of times, maybe hundreds, where God spoke and I heard Him because I was listening, particularly in a mind-set to listen. It doesn’t happen on a full belly that just wants to curl up and have a nap. It doesn’t happen to a mind dulled by too much television, or reading too many (and the wrong kind of) novels. I can’t hear God if the radio or tapes blare all day long, or if I’m talking on the phone, or doing the e-mail.

Oh, maybe. He can speak through the noises and interruptions and especially the people in my life, but when I focus on Him, face to face, eyes on Him, ears tuned it, stomach, TV, and the radio turned off, I am almost certain that His voice will touch me and tell me what He wants from me. Sometimes He makes no demands; He tells me just that He loves me and asks that I simply enjoy being with Him.