Stop, Look and Listen
It is easy to say, “I trust God” when things go smoothly or are easy to understand. But, when push comes to shove and circumstances in life require us to wait or are beyond our comprehension, how easy is it really to trust Him and His timing? Sometimes we can become so fearful of losing an opportunity that we move too fast and end up jumping into a situation not blessed by God. Often we mistakenly take matters into our own hands when God’s capable hands have the situation already under control. When confronted with a major decision, we need to remember to stop, replace our fear with trust, and then pray.
When I was a child, my mother taught me a poem to help me remember to be careful when crossing the street. In turn, I taught it to my children. And today, I still think of it whenever I take that first step onto a road.
“Stop, look and listen before you cross the street. Use your eyes and use your ears before you use your feet!”
When those wise words are followed, we will avoid stepping into a harmful and dangerous situation. And, when those wise words are applied with a Biblical perspective to the choices in front of us, we are better equipped to make the right decision. When we stop to pray, look in God’s word and listen for His answers we will avoid taking that dangerous wrong step. But how do we learn to hear Him?
The shepherds of ancient Israel spent much of their lives in close proximity to their sheep. As the shepherd watched for hidden dangers in the fields and fed and watered their flock, the shepherd and sheep learned to recognize each other easily. Each night the shepherd led his sheep into the safety of the sheepfold. Often, the fold was comprised of more than one shepherd’s flock. But, the voice of the shepherd was so familiar to his sheep that when night passed, one call would bring only the sheep which belonged to him to the gate.
As we come to know our Lord and Shepherd, we too, will learn to recognize His voice.
He is our Shepherd and Guide who lovingly cares for us throughout our lives. As we pray for His guidance when faced with a difficult choice we can be sure that He will direct us to safety. So, rather than running on ahead of our Lord, we need to actively pursue His answers by drawing near to Him. For the closer we come to Him, the more easily we will recognize His voice. As we step out in faith, we need to remember to kneel down and pray.
Trusting Him,
Love it! I also remember my mother saying that to me when I was young about the stop, look and listen. We get in such a hurry these days, not only to step out in the traffic but also to step out without seeking Him. I need to slow down and wait for His signal before I proceed. Great thoughts today!