Trust and Security

Our youth ministry director and seminarian, Nate Bendorf, will be preaching on June 20 while Toni and I are in Taylors Falls as part of the 150th anniversary celebration of that congregation.  Thanks, Nate!

Looking ahead to June 27--we will be reading Psalm 16.  So appropriate for the Sunday after the congregation meeting, as are the other scriptures assigned for that day--good to read them but also the context around them from your Bibles - 1 Kings 18:15-16,19-21 (look also at 1 Kings 18); Galatians 5:1, 13-25 and Luke 9:51-62.

Here is Psalm 16 from the New Living Translation.

16 A psalm of David - a Song of Trust and Security in God..

¹      Keep me safe, O God,

for I have come to you for refuge.

²      I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!

Every good thing I have comes from you.”

³      The godly people in the land

are my true heroes!

I take pleasure in them!

⁴      Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.

I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood

or even speak the names of their gods.

⁵      Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.

You guard all that is mine.

⁶      The land you have given me is a pleasant land.

What a wonderful inheritance!

⁷      I will bless the Lord who guides me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

⁸      I know the Lord is always with me.

I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

⁹      No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.

My body rests in safety.

¹⁰      For you will not leave my soul among the dead

or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.

¹¹      You will show me the way of life,

granting me the joy of your presence

and the pleasures of living with you forever.

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Hearing God's Voice

"My sheep hear my voice." (Jesus in John 10:27)

Tonight I got an email from a member of our church who will be doing the children's message on April 25.  Everything we do in worship is guided by the scriptures, so I looked at what is assigned for that day (The Fourth Sunday of Easter) and the words "My sheep hear my voice" stood out right away. Picked up a bulletin from church and those were the same words printed on the cover.  Went over to the church member's home, planned the children's message in about 5 minutes flat, spent a little time with the husband and wife and was back at home in 45 minutes from the time I got the email.  And I did not feel like I was in a hurry.

Amazing things can happen when we are open to hearing God's voice.  I believe God is ready to guide us every day when we are ready to obey.  We get used to his voice by spending time in the scriptures and with people who are likewise immersed in God's Word.  As we read the Bible we focus our attention most on Jesus, striving to learn from Him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  The Bible is a library, not a book, and it's good to start with the most important parts--Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  When we hear his voice often, we can recognize it also in the rest of the scriptures, and our spiritual ears and hearts are open to his call in the rest of our lives.

For the children's message on the 25th we'll have some parents speak while their children's backs are turned.  The children will recognize their parents' voices because they are used to them.  So it is with the voice of our Lord.  Spend time with Jesus in scripture, in friendship and in prayer, and you will recognize his voice more and more.

From the time I was a small child God spoke to me through my faithful, loving parents.  They taught me the heart of Jesus over and over again until it has just become second nature to me.  God gave me my wife to help and correct me, and her wisdom has often kept me from going off in wrong directions.  She was likewise raised with the voice of Jesus from her parents in her ears and in her heart.  Now, it seems, not a day goes by without hearing God's call. 

What experiences have you had in listening for and obeying God's voice?   How have you been trained to hear that precious voice?  Are you seeking guidance today?  How can we pray for you?  Comment or email me so we can share!

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