TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mark 4:9 NKJV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• Have you ever had something come up, either in reading the Bible, a book, listening to a sermon… and then, the same topic (or even song) shows up again at a completely different time? Usually within days of each other? I attribute that repeat as a reminder from God that He wants me to hear and listen.
I actually have two such repeats going on right now, and I want to share them with you…
The first one originally came up in the book I told you about last week… “Paul: A Man of Grit and Grace,” by Charles Swindoll. I’m still reading it, and a few days ago, I read a chapter that started with an illustration… Late composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein was asked what was the most difficult instrument to play. He gave a surprising answer and said, “Second fiddle! I can always get plenty of first violinists, but to find one who plays second violin with as much enthusiasm, or second French horn, or second flute, now that’s a problem. And yet, if no one plays second, we have no harmony.”
This illustration showed up again this morning in Greg Laurie’s daily devotion.
Interestingly, Charles Swindoll’s spiritual lesson from the illustration was different from Pastor Greg’s, but both were profound.
Without getting into all the side-thoughts and other lessons I need to learn from the second-fiddle, I’m reminded to listen to God. He is speaking.
But sometimes, I’m too busy to listen.
Which brings me to the second message on repeat I keep getting this week…
When Billy Sunday was converted, a Christian man told him, “William, there are three simple rules I can give to you, and if you will hold to them, you will never write ‘backslider’ after your name. Take 15 minutes each day to listen to God talking to you; take 15 minutes each day to talk to God; take 15 minutes each day to talk to others about God.”
This illustration has come up twice since Sunday, both times by Greg Laurie, but in two different sermons. And my Bible study group and I talked about it on Tuesday.
I prayed this morning about it and asked God — are you teaching me two different things? Or one big lesson? Both?
Jesus often concluded His parables by saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mark 4:9). And we know from the prophet Elijah that God often whispers and speaks quietly (1 Kings 19:11-12).
But the din of the world is so loud! We can’t hear His quiet whispers when we are focused on the shouts of the world.
I’m not saying that every thing on repeat is a message from God… after all, if you (for a random example) follow Tiffany & Co on Instagram and the same stunningly gorgeous diamond key pendant keeps coming up — that’s not God’s hint to buy it. Though you may want it to be… But that’s marketing from a Big Brother who knows you have exceptional taste in jewelry. It’s not a message from God. I may or may not be (but probably am) using that example from personal experience…
But we do need to listen for those lessons God keeps putting in our path. Through Scripture. Through songs. Through sermons. Through conversations with others.
We need to be attuned to the whispers of God.
What second fiddle or 15 minutes illustration is God putting in your path?
Today, as you pray, thank God for speaking to you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you hear His voice. Ask Him to help you be discerning and wise that you will recognize when God is speaking.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the NKJV translation.
