One of my deepest desires is to discern God’s slightest nods and whispers so I can join Him where He’s at work. That means recognizing and obeying His promptings not only in the big issues of life, but in the day-to-day…
- “Do you see that lady in blue standing at the grocery checkout? Pray that she’ll understand how much I love her.”
- “The elderly woman walking towards you needs a smile.”
- “Send an encouragement e-card to so-and-so today.”
- “Write a cheque for $xxx and mail it to so-and-so.”
- “Decline that ministry opportunity you just received; say yes to this one instead.” (This is perhaps the most difficult for me because I want to say yes to everyone that comes along!)
Psalm 123:2 describes my sentiments. It speaks of a slave girl who watches her mistress for the slightest signal. It might be a little nod. Maybe it’s the turning of the head. It might be a raised eyebrow or the tap of an index finger. Whatever movement the mistress makes, the slave girl sees and responds.
I long to be so in tune with my Master that I catch each of His signals, no matter how slight. But because I’m not yet perfect (sigh), I probably miss more than a few. Why does this happen? Two things immediately come to mind:
- Busyness. I’m sometimes so busy running around, even doing ministry, that my focus is on everything but the Master.
- Selfishness. I want to do what I want, not what the Master wants. My focus is on my wants and needs rather than His.
This Scripture about the slave girl inspires me to keep my focus where it belongs – on my Master. Doing so enables me to discern His nods and whispers and, as a result, makes me a more effective servant.
How about you? What might keep you from discerning God’s signals? Tell us about a time when you responded to a divine nod or whisper and what the result was.
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