“…if anything worthy of praise…dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8
It’s falling from the clouds,
A strange and lovely sound,
I hear it in the Thunder and the Rain,
It’s ringing in the skies,
Like cannons in the night,
As the music of the Universe plays…
Recently, I spent time with a teenage girl who has become desperate to be heard. Her heart has been burdened by the fear that the people she is depending on are not “hearing” what she is feeling and experiencing. In the midst of this time that we spent together, I began to realize that she is not the only one who longs to be heard.
Without a doubt, each of us longs to be heard by the people in our lives and by our Heavenly Father. But, there is someone else who wants to heard. God longs to be heard.
Thousands of years ago, when Jesus ascended to Heaven, God’s plan was to leave His Spirit behind, to live inside of us. If there is anything worthy of praise it is the Spirit of God living in us and speaking to us.
No other can comfort.
No other can convict.
No other can reveal Truth.
In God’s plan to leave His Spirit to live inside of us, it has always been for our benefit; His desire was for us to have His guidance. But, here’s the tricky part. We have to listen.
Unfortunately, we have funky ears and those funky ears can play tricks on us. The more we tune out the things that the Holy Spirit is saying to us…the more faint the Spirit’s voice can become. If we ignore the things that the Holy Spirit is trying to reveal to us long enough, our hearts can become hardened to the point that we no longer recognize the Spirit’s voice. Our funky ears can tell us that God has become silent.
I understand my young friend’s desperate desire to be heard, and I believe that the people who love her are hearing what she is pleading for. God understands her desire to be heard, as well. If anyone hears what is on her heart…it is God. He hears her pleas. Not one of her prayers goes unheard. And, He answers—in His time and in His sovereign way.
“Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”
Isaiah 40: 28-31
Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Philippians 4:8
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Dwell On These Things | Adventures in the Ordinary
March 2, 2012 at 9:50 am (UTC -7)
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