The Silence

Series: Receive a Gift

Romans 6:22-23 MSG

You do not need to be told or reminded that life is hard. There are times in everyone’s life when we don’t know how we’re going to go on.

Learning how to go on is the key.

Romans 6:22-23 tells us, “But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.”

While I can’t say I was thrilled when Sunday came when I was a child, I learned Sunday did have advantages.

My dad taught a large adult Sunday School class so we never missed church. Even when the snow was deep we made our way to church.

I hated having to dress up, especially in the winter. Girls in 1950 America wore dresses to church and school. I thought that was grossly unfair since my brother wore corduroy (or warm) pants that covered his legs.

The biggest advantage I had is that when it was snowing my dad carried me so my black patent leather shoes didn’t get ruined.

As I grew older and I watched my dad at home I noticed whenever ‘Gunsmoke’ or some other cowboy show was not on television my dad was always studying his ole’ Bible. He spent a lot of his free time studying for his Sunday lesson.

Because he studied his Bible I studied (read) my Bible a lot. I memorized my weekly verse. I prayed.

I constantly asked my dad questions when I didn’t understand a verse.

One of the subjects I came back to time and time again was hidden away in several scriptures. In Romans 6:22 Paul wrote about the ‘delight of listening to God telling you’. I became obsessed about listening for the voice of God and what God had to tell me.

My dad gave me a great start by telling me to be quiet, close my eyes, and wait. He said God would do the rest.

Looking back listening and watching for God to see where God is moving in and around me is one of the major themes of my life.

My dad gave me the key…stop moving and talking, close out sound of the world (which meant close my eyes) and wait in silence.

He taught me that God is in the silence.

Through scripture and practice I learned that God is always with me.

I have to wait for life’s answers from God (in the silence).

God has not and will not ever fail me.

At one point when I lost everything I thought God failed me but I remembered my dad telling me God will never fail me. I spent months crying and waiting to hear God. I wanted to know why it happened, but I didn’t get that question answered. I finally stopped asking why and I started asking God to lead me to what was next.

When I was ready for what was next God opened the floodgates.

A friend of mine at work invited me to her church. It took a little time but before too long I was leading a healing ministry. Then after a while God called me to go to Seminary. It seemed like it was impossible to work full time and go to Seminary full-time but God made it work.

Whenever I was tired or confused I stopped, closed my eyes, and waited for God to tell me or show me the way.

God knew exactly what I needed.

When I retired from my job I asked God to tell me what was next. One step was having a website. I had no idea where to begin but God sent helpers to make it possible.

God had a plan.

God has a plan.

God has a plan for you as well.

Deborah

acrazyjourney.com