God In Real Life

Have you ever wondered how the Lord speaks to people today? Or if He really enters into our personal lives to speak to us at all? A friend asked me why people sometimes say "God told them" to do this or that. I remember wondering the same thing a while back.

But I've tasted the voice of the Lord in my life. My real, everyday, ordinary, sometimes monotonous, little life. Enter the unmistakable, extraordinary, unusual, redeeming voice of the one and only GOD.

The most common way God speaks to me is by bringing scripture to my mind right at the very second I need it. In my next post, I will share some of the ways God has done that for me. Other times, He prompts me to do things that I hadn't thought of.

A couple of years ago, I was a MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) Publicity leader at my church. I was upstairs there on a Monday night, setting up for our meeting the next morning, and I sensed that I needed to go downstairs. I had no idea why, and I certainly did not run down immediately.

Because it didn't make sense, and I like sense. Finally, I gave up, and walked down the stairs.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21, NIV

Right away, I could see a lady, visibly upset, trying to make a phone call at the information desk. I stopped and asked her if I could help. After some prodding, she broke down in tears and shared some of her story with me. She didn't know anyone from this church, but in her domestic difficulty that very night, she walked in an open door.

Where God wanted little old ME, who didn't have any great words to speak, to meet her, embrace her, listen to her, and pray with her.

I did so little that I felt unworthy of the extremely kind words she presented me when we parted. I felt unworthy of the fullness I carried home with me. I felt full of God's grace and His redeeming power! Full of the rich blessing that follows obedience to God's voice. Full of awe that God chose to use me to do something for His Kingdom.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10, NIV

The devil had deceived me into thinking I was not full of possibilities. I knew God used people to do His work--exceptionally special and amazing people, but not girls just like me. Back then, I found it really easy to hear the devil's voice, even if I didn't recognize it as such.

Sometimes God plasters truth across my deep-down insides, like the night I felt the arms of the Lord around me as I held my baby girl. She was overwhelmingly Perfect in my eyes! Beautiful! Precious! Tears slipped down my cheeks as I stroked hers, and I almost felt Him there, in her little pink bedroom. He said to my heart just then, "So are you, Angela....This is just a taste of how I feel about you."

For I created your inmost being; I knit you together in your mother's womb. You may praise me now, because you are fearfully and wonderfully made; my works are wonderful, and you know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14, NIV

Whoa. He speaks! Before that night, I guess I didn't know that full well.

After that, I remember praying that every single precious woman on this earth would have a little girl so He could tell them the same thing. It was so powerful a message to my heart, and I wanted Him to speak it over every woman's pain.

But God doesn't speak to everyone in the same way. He uses all sorts of creative life experiences, because after all, He created life and He is creative! Through times when He's spoken to me, I've learned He is real, He is personal, and I need to listen to and obey Him.

When I sense God telling me to pray with someone, I usually think, But I don't know what to say! Then I ask Him to give me the words, and He serves up something more delightful than I ever could, on my own. It always amazes me.

How many times do we miss God's voice in our lives…
because it doesn't make sense to us…
because we don't want to obey…
because we're so busy living our lives…
or because we let so much noise enter our days, that we can't hear Him?

God doesn't stop His work because of us! He will fulfill His purposes even when we fail. When I fail—I MISS OUT--on the deep, rich blessing of a full life. Now that I have tasted that, I don't want to miss a thing!

Please don’t miss a thing. Don’t miss the life God made you for. This life is so short! Listen, friends. Listen.