Listening to God Today

Oswald Chambers, "We always have visions, before a thing is made real. When we realize that although the vision is real, it is not real in us, then is the time that Satan comes in with his temptations, and we are apt to say it is no use to go on. Instead of the vision becoming real, there has come the valley of humiliation.
'Life is not as idle ore,
But iron dug from central gloom,
And batter'd by the shocks of doom
To shape and use.'
God gives us the vision, then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of the vision, and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Every vision will be made real if we will have patience. Think of the enormous leisure of God! He is never in a hurry. We are always in such a frantic hurry. In the light of the glory of the vision we go forth to do things, but the vision is not real in us yet; and God has to take us into the valley, and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the place where He can trust us with the veritable reality. Ever since we had the vision God has been at work, getting us into the shape of the ideal, and over and over again we escape from His hand and try to batter ourselves into our own shape."

This morning I started my reading with Oswald. I don't usually do this, but this morning I did and in this I was reminded of my vision that God has given me. He has asked me to share with others what I have learned. Most people do not want to share with everyone everything about their life. Most people probably should not share everything, for this is not easy and if God had not asked me to do this then I would not be able to withstand the pressures afterward. But I have been called to do this. It burns within me and I cannot help but to do what I am doing. We all have something like this within each of us. We are here to be of use by God and if we will allow Him to speak to us, we can hear the call within us.

The hard part of allowing God to do His work in His timing. Some may think they have a great vision, but instead of allowing God to work through them, they take the matter into their own hands. This is a dangerous thing to do for like Abimelech in Judges 8:31-9:57, you can become overconfident, power hungry and ruthless. He took advantage of his father's position without imitating his father's character. This is something that I see many people doing. They think that since they have been born into a family that has established a reputation that reputation is theirs, without realizing that they are responsible for their own actions and what they do with their life. Many live on their families vision, without listening to the individual call of God upon their individual life.

Yet, others settle for no vision at all, just like Oswald said, "and we are apt to say it is no use to go on. Instead of the vision becoming real, there has come the valley of humiliation." Or we take the easy road and give our life little responsibility and pretend that doing really nothing to stretch yourself for God is a humble thing to do. This is the easy, yet very unfulfilling walk of most of us.

God never puts a desire within us and stands back and either expects us to go out and achieve it in our own time in our own way, or for us to feel like we are not worthy of this calling and that it is foolish for us to dream. If we are seeking Him and what His desires are, then we will always succeed. We will alway find a fulfillment in this life that nothing else could ever give us in our own searches.

Psalm 25, "O Lord, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat. No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord. The Lord is good and does what is right; He shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them His way. The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep His covenant and obey His demands. For the honor of your name, O Lord, forgive my many, many sins. Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose."

Has God shown you your path? Are you willing to reach out and to be used by God in every chance He gives you? Are you claiming God's ways, but actually walking in your own? Are we listening to God today??