I love it when God speaks clearly. It’s scary if it’s been too long since I’ve heard that clear voice of His. Whether His voice speaks comfort, conviction, direction, or wisdom, I need to know He’s speaking clearly. I want to know it’s His voice and not my own selfish desires directing the choices I’m making.
We went to Mississippi to participate in a missions conference. There was wonderful fellowship with other missionaries and pastors. The music and the speakers were tremendous. But the best part of those three days was God’s clear voice speaking to my heart.
His Sweet Voice in Scripture
On Tuesday morning, I took Charlie to the conference and returned to the hotel room to read and pray. I prayed about our deputation. I prayed for Charlie and the contacts he was making. I prayed about my ministry. I asked, “Lord, what exactly is my role in this whole deputation process?” I heard Him speak to my heart and say, “Read Ephesians 4:1.”
I opened my Bible and read,
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.
Wow! Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith I am called. That’s a tall order. I have been called to be a wife to my dear husband, a missionary with IPM, a representative of the King of Kings, and a fellow traveller on my way to heaven with many other fellow travellers.
“Okay,” I responded to the Lord. “I get it. I’m to walk in a way that is worthy of the calling on my life. But HOW? How am I supposed to fulfill such a tall order?
So I read on,
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
So it’s not so much WHAT I do as HOW I do it. My role is to have an attitude of humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness and unity. In my calling as a wife, those are necessary. In my calling as a fellow missionary, those are necessary. In my calling as a fellow Christian, those are necessary. Whether I’m alone with Charlie or out in the public eye, I need these qualities. When I relate to others, I need these. When I’m tempted to get discouraged or complain, I need these. I have been so focused on the WHAT, that I’d forgotten that God looks at the heart and sees everything based on that. I need to develop His attitudes in me.
His Sweet Voice during Preaching
On Wednesday morning, I sat listening to the preacher talk about the need of the world to hear the gospel. I cannot give you his three points because the Holy Spirit was using that time to speak deeply to my heart. When the altar call came, I knew I needed to respond. Yes, I could have responded in my seat, but it was important that I publicly acknowledge that God was working on me. I went to the altar with deep sorrow and repentance. He convicted me of sin and reminded me once again of things that I had forgotten. He helped me regain my focus on Him and on the need to stay focused on eternity. God is far more patient with me than I usually am with others.
His Sweet Voice in Consensus
When the conference was over, we loaded up our display and headed to the car. Travelling down the road, I told Charlie of the Holy Spirit’s conviction and why I had gone forward. He then told me that the Lord had addressed an area of need in his life too – the same one for which I had come under conviction. We realized it was the Lord’s way of directing us as a couple .It was like a light went on right in front of us directing us in the choice of a home base.
By speaking to us individually about the same thing, we walked away from the conference saying, “We really need to be part of a church that has soul winning as a major part of its makeup.” It was suddenly so clear to me that I needed a church like that, and then I found out Charlie came to the same conclusion. We knew God had spoken clear direction into our lives to help us find a home church.
I Need His Voice
We know God can use circumstances to guide as well, but it is the clear sweet voice of the Holy Spirit that I crave. I need to hear HIm speak clearly in every aspect of my life. As Moses said to the Lord,
“If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us?”
I agree.
No comments:
Post a Comment