Multiple Choices

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brother and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9)

I am presently taking a course that deals with language assessments. One of my assignments for next week is to create multiple choice vocabulary questions for an exam. I find myself thinking of all angles of the topic I've chosen and searching for varying ways to incorrectly depict a situation--these incorrect answers would designate the distractions from the correct answer. I am distracted searching for distractions!

I began thinking about other distractions that I focus on from day to day. I am not a cup-half-full person.  I tend to concentrate on what is not going right and fixate on fixing what is not perfect. This makes life difficult for me and for those who have to spend time with me! Life is not perfect, and much that comes our way is tainted. I have found that it is better not to have expectations, because unfulfilled expectations lead to disappointment.

Paul exhorts us in Philippians to rejoice in all circumstances, let go of anxiety and release our worry by leaning on God and going to Him in prayer: "Present your requests to God" (verse 6). What good does our fixating and anxiety do for us or for those who spend time with us? A fretful person is usually not a calm or gentle person; Paul tells us to "Let your gentleness be evident to all" (verse 5).

Contrast the behavior of one who frets with one who is able to release his concerns to God, perceive what is good, right, pure, lovely, and admirable and be thankful for God's blessings. Such a person exudes the peace of God that transcends the unease of a worrier and guards the heart and mind in Christ Jesus. I want to focus on what is praiseworthy and not be distracted by the multiple choice concerns that keep me from experiencing God's peace.

Dear Lord, Thank You that I am forgiven and loved by You. Teach me to think about whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable. I want to put these skills into practice and ask Your guidance in this endeavor. Only in You will I find real peace.
In Jesus' Name. Amen.

How can I hear God's Voice?

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 
Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, "Here I am!" and ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call; lie down again." So he went and lay down.
And the Lord called again, "Samuel!" and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, " Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my son; lie down again." Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And, Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant hears." (1 Samuel 3: 1-10, NIV)

After writing a detailed paper for a graduate course I'm taking, I find my mind to be blank. It is as if all imagination has been erased from my brain making it difficult to concentrate on writing a devotion. Oswald Chambers wrote: "If your imagination is starved, do not look back to your own experience; it is God Whom you need. Go right out of yourself, away from the face of your idols, away from everything that has been starving your imagination." Chamber's words lead me to several questions: If I am to get out of myself, what should I get into to arouse my brain?, and; What are the idols that are starving my imagination?

If I want to hear God's voice, I need to connect with God. God doesn't hide. In Jeremiah 29:13, God says, " You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jesus says, "Seek and you will find" (Matthew 7:7).

So, how then do I seek God's presence? If He is talking to me, I want to hear what He is saying and not miss His voice as Samuel almost did. What sort of idols (Chambers) could be keeping me from hearing God?

If I am in Christ, I will devote time to Him by reading His Word, praying, and reflecting on God's message to me. When I am overly consumed with other concerns, they become like idols and keep me from hearing God. I focus on all that I have to get done each day, on my children's welfare, or I worry about the future. When I am taken up with other things, I become deaf to God.

If God is talking to me, then I want to seek and find Him so that I hear His voice. God speaks to us through the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). Although it would be nice if God spoke to us by an audible
voice, some of us don't hear God's voice in the manner Samuel did. God sent His Son Jesus to us as a man so that you and I could identify with Christ who is the "Word" of God. Jesus came to tell us what God is speaking. If I want to hear God, I need to read His Word, contemplate what God is telling me through the Scripture, and ask God what He wants me to to learn from what I'm reading.
          For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the               division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrows, and discerning the thoughts and                          intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12, ESV)
I want to hear God's voice today, so that I can discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Dear Lord, Some days, I feel that my brain needs a jump-start. I ask You to speak to me in Your Word so that I can hear Your message and discern Your will for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen