Day 421: Getting Our AttentionActs 26:12-14a
[Paul speaking] "On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground..."
Thoughts for Today:One of the questions I get asked most often is, "How do I know what God's will is for my life?" I ask, "How do you respond to the glory of a sunrise, the majesty of sunset, the smell of a first rain, or the stillness of new fallen snow? Is it to fall on your knees and listen to God?" You see God is not the sunrise, sunset, rain or snow -- they all are evidence of His glory, majesty, and authority -- all are intended to remind us of Him. To get our attention.
This reminds me of some pretty amazing things the Lord did in the life of the Old Testament prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17-19). The Lord fed him (ravens brought him food, 1 Kings 17:5-6); protected him (defeating the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah in a rather showy demonstration, 1 Kings 18:18-39); and even powered him physically (he outran a chariot, 1 Kings 18:46). But later we find him huddled in a cave, fearful of the vengeance of one woman, Jezebel; this despite all the evidence of the Lord's power. I would laugh if it wasn't so tragic and if I didn't see myself in this story despite my best effort.
So what happens next? The Lord tells Elijah to go stand in the mouth of a cave because the Lord's presence was going to pass before him. First there came a great wind, next an earthquake, then a fire -- but the Lord was not in any of these. 1 Kings 19:12-13, "And after the fire came a gentle whisper."
In our passage today, Paul retells his experience on the road to Damascus and his response: "We all fell to the ground." The Lord reveals evidence of Himself to each of us - everyday, all the time -- if we pay attention. Some are just more stunning than others. But the event itself is not God. It is the "gentle whisper" following the event that we must listen to ever so carefully. The Lord spoke to both Elijah and Paul just like He speaks to each of us -- but some things you will notice -- He spoke following an event, He didn't shout, and no one else heard. Think about that.
Questions to Ponder:Have you been paying attention to the Lord? Have you become blinded to His presence in every day life? The Lord is not the event -- He is the gentle whisper following the event. Are you listening? What is the Lord saying to you right now?
[Paul speaking] "On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground..."
Thoughts for Today:One of the questions I get asked most often is, "How do I know what God's will is for my life?" I ask, "How do you respond to the glory of a sunrise, the majesty of sunset, the smell of a first rain, or the stillness of new fallen snow? Is it to fall on your knees and listen to God?" You see God is not the sunrise, sunset, rain or snow -- they all are evidence of His glory, majesty, and authority -- all are intended to remind us of Him. To get our attention.
This reminds me of some pretty amazing things the Lord did in the life of the Old Testament prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17-19). The Lord fed him (ravens brought him food, 1 Kings 17:5-6); protected him (defeating the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah in a rather showy demonstration, 1 Kings 18:18-39); and even powered him physically (he outran a chariot, 1 Kings 18:46). But later we find him huddled in a cave, fearful of the vengeance of one woman, Jezebel; this despite all the evidence of the Lord's power. I would laugh if it wasn't so tragic and if I didn't see myself in this story despite my best effort.
So what happens next? The Lord tells Elijah to go stand in the mouth of a cave because the Lord's presence was going to pass before him. First there came a great wind, next an earthquake, then a fire -- but the Lord was not in any of these. 1 Kings 19:12-13, "And after the fire came a gentle whisper."
In our passage today, Paul retells his experience on the road to Damascus and his response: "We all fell to the ground." The Lord reveals evidence of Himself to each of us - everyday, all the time -- if we pay attention. Some are just more stunning than others. But the event itself is not God. It is the "gentle whisper" following the event that we must listen to ever so carefully. The Lord spoke to both Elijah and Paul just like He speaks to each of us -- but some things you will notice -- He spoke following an event, He didn't shout, and no one else heard. Think about that.
Questions to Ponder:Have you been paying attention to the Lord? Have you become blinded to His presence in every day life? The Lord is not the event -- He is the gentle whisper following the event. Are you listening? What is the Lord saying to you right now?
RSS Feed
