Posted on July 31, 2022 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
Greatest Of All Time: You’ll Hear My Voice
By Sarah Hahs
I call my quiet time “windshield time.” I have a 40 minute commute to work and it is my time to dream and have a consistent conversation with God. It hasn’t always been that way. I don’t even know if I could tell you when it started. But it occurred to me that I was what God would consider a captive audience. As a mom of four kids, quiet time at home isn’t really a thing, and at work I become too task oriented to stop what I’m doing. But you give me a good stretch of highway and God becomes incredibly clear.
I ask questions out loud and then just wait, quietly driving and become very aware of my emotions and my thoughts. It’s not a light switch type of thing. There are days when I can’t get quiet. I’ve spilled coffee, someone cut me off, the bus was late for the kids, lots of things that can pull me away from the practice of being quiet and inviting the presence of God into my time.
It’s not an audible voice either. It’s a feeling, or a nudge, or a thought that wasn’t there before suddenly in my mind. If I’m honest, sometimes it’s a very one-sided conversation, mostly because I won’t let him get a word in. But as Shibu showed us, much like tuning a radio, it takes practice. And like most things in relationships, just showing up is over half the work.
He is a patient and gracious shepherd to this very stubborn sheep. I am all the things Shibu listed when it comes to qualities of sheep. Stubborn, leery, fiercely loyal to a fault, not always the brightest, anxious. I needed the reminder today that I have a shepherd who is constantly and lovingly guiding me with his voice. That he has specifically created me to hear it. It eases the fear that I might miss it. That I might, in my stubbornness, or anxiousness, or dumb choices, miss what he might have for me. And yet, he is there. Always. But I need to make space for those opportunities. I would encourage you to try it this week. Move the knob on your frequency and get a quiet moment with the shepherd who would leave the ninety-nine sheep to pursue you.
Observe, Reflect, Apply: Here we see that sheep listen to their shepherd. They learn. And they are loyal. How are you doing right now listening to your shepherd, Jesus? How are you applying the learnings he is leading you to? How are you doing at living loyal to Jesus? Take some time with Psalm 23 this week. Read it out loud. Ponder each phrase. Consider one facet in the Psalm that you could practice each day this week for a few minutes.
{action idea}
If you want to practice increasing your engagement with Jesus, join us for Day With Jesus, August 5 or 6. This is a self-guided time with a workbook we provide that is designed to help you spend extended time reading, pondering, praying and connecting with Jesus. We will kick off and wrap up on Zoom, and give you two hours on your own to work through the exercises. CLICK HERE for more information and to sign up.
{bible reading plan}
This month we are focusing on the many promises of God. Each day you will have the space to consider one promise, and how it has impacted your life, or could impact your life should you choose to follow Jesus. We’d love to hear from you and share in what we are all learning together. You can email us at story@heartlandchurch.org.
What have you asked God for recently? Do you feel like He is an advocate for what you need? What would it look like to “keep his commands” as an act of love?
How has God blessed you recently? What are some things that you have needed recently that have been provided? Where do you need him to abundantly bless you this week?
Where do you feel that you need wisdom? Have you asked God for wisdom about the decisions you have to make this week? How does your view of God change knowing that he gives you wisdom without finding fault in you?
What fear are you holding onto this week? What reminder do you need this week that God will not leave you in the valley? Where do you need his comfort?
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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