Can You Hear Me Now?

I am a type A person in many ways.  I like to have a task list, to get things done, to have a sense of order, pattern.  part of my pattern is not only activity, but noise.  I listen to the radio in the car, regularly interact with people at church and in the office, and the list goes on.  But this summer it will be different, both for me and our church.  I believe the most impact part of this summer for all of us is intentionally creating space for us to reflect and listen for God.

My schedule will shift, and I will be challenged to change my rhythm and schedule to humbly place myself in a posture to hear from God, and be lead and molded by his Holy Spirit.  Our church will worship together, and have intentional space each week for you to think, reflect, pray and process the scriptures and messages that are shared throughout the summer.

The challenge, will we slow down?  Many people myself include find space in their schedules and silence in a moment to be uncomfortable.  Just sit with a group of friends and see how long anyone can go without having to speak.  We tend to live our lives a bit like goldfish grow in a bowl.  We expand to whatever space we have.  Meeting cancelled? Go cut the lawn… Get out of work early?  Work on your to do list…. For many of us, slowing down, listening, and be attentive to God in our lives is not what we naturally will do. And yet, we hear in Psalm 46:

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

This summer we all have an incredible opportunity to place ourselves in a posture to hear from God, to be encouraged by His promises, and to see Him at work in one another, IF we can slow down, quiet down enough to hear and see God at work.  I pray that this summer we all can slow down, to be reminded that the world does not hinge on our busyness, our value is not determined by how much we can say and fit in a day, but instead that we might be reminded by the still small voice of God, and be encouraged by the words of Ephesians 2: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)