Monday, April 27, 2009

God Talking

I can't remember which pastor I heard say that when he heard the Holy Spirit speak, it usually sounded like his wife's voice...  Well, the Holy Spirit sounds a lot like Mark in my experience.  Recently, the Holy Spirit was nudging me not-so-gently to develop a little discipline and open his word.  I meet with two accountability groups and in neither one are we good at asking one another, "Are you in the Word?  What is God saying to you in your devotions?"  

So, Mark suggested that he and I pick a book of the Bible to work through and just plan to have a little conversation once a week or so to talk about it.  We chose Isaiah.  We aren't too far in yet, but just knowing that he was going to be asking me about it made me read.  I wish I were more devout, like Mary.  But I'm Martha.  My faith is something I like TO DO.  I'm not trying to earn my salvation or anything, but I guess I like to worship in deed.  It is a temperament thing.  You know...

Anyway, when Bob asked last night what God was speaking about to us, it was the first time in weeks that I could have shared something.  He is talking to me about Mary by way of Isaiah.  I'm reading The Message and my paraphrase of the paraphrase is, "Meetings, meetings, meetings, you wear me out with all your meetings!"  This is God speaking.  The original text talks about "feasts" and "appointed days" and the like.  So, God is sick of my meetings and events.  But I like meetings.  (There, I said it!)  I like something that I can plug into the iTouch and it will beep to remind me about.  It just isn't the same to type in, "sit at Jesus' feet," but I might have to try it.  Anyway, that was one small thing that God talked about with me this week. I was also reminded that he is perfectly happy to invert the society we live in to accomplish his goals...flip it over, mix it up.  Why am I always surprised, then, when he does just that?  

I want to encourage, exhort even, all of us to be prepared to share something in the next weeks.  It seems obvious, but we have to be with God regularly in order to hear him.  I want you to keep me accountable for my time with him and I'll bet it would help others, too.