By: Pam Otto
Psalms 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you.”
On a walk recently I noticed the signs and smells of Spring in the air...a light breeze with scents of jasmine, spring flowers starting to bloom, chirping noises of baby birds and greener grass in the yards around me. Do you notice it too?
There is an area where I walk regularly that is near a cow pasture. When passing this area the other day, I noticed three baby calves jumping and playing near their parents. I stopped to enjoy the calves and soon noticed a stern look from a very large cow just ahead of them. It was clear that ‘Daddy cow’ was not happy with me distracting the 3 small calves. He swung his large head around, let out a huge bellow and sternly let his kids know that they were to follow him and not get off track with my distractions. He even gave me a dirty look!
This reprimand made me laugh, but soon made me think of how often our heavenly Father aims to get our attention by speaking loud and clear to us, wanting to correct, guide, direct, and lead us on the right path. He is always speaking, but are we listening? We can so often get stuck on the wrong path, get distracted by others or start heading down a road He didn't intend for us.
Do you recall a time in your faith journey when you knew that God was speaking to you, maybe even quite clearly, but you chose to go another way?
I have numerous stories of choosing my way over God's way...whether it was dating the wrong guys in my younger years, or staying stuck in anger and bitterness for far too long in the later years. I could go on. It's a good thing that God is so very patient with us and regularly and gently calls us back to Him and the right direction. I love the promise found in
Psalms 32:8
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you.”
God gives us plenty of freedom to make our own choices, and continues to guide us in each decision we make. It’s been said that “We can choose our sin, but we can't choose our consequence”.
I've learned through plenty of foolish decisions and selfish mistakes that life is so much better when I follow Him, when I listen to His voice, follow His commands and walk in the path He is leading me on. He has good things in store for each of us.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Cor. 2:9
Have you come to a place where you trust God's ways over your ways? Have you carved out time to listen to His voice lately? Take some time today and reconnect with the one who loves you and wants to lead you. Go for a walk and notice him in all the blooms of spring, then ask God these two questions and listen for Him to speak:
1. God, what do you want me to know?
2. God, what do you want me to do?
I promise He will answer you as you lean into listening and obeying.
God, your word says that you will speak to us, instruct us and teach us. Your word also tells us that You have good things in store for us. Help us to listen well and be obedient to all that you say. Help us to follow you closely and be sensitive to all the ways that you are speaking to us, whether through a word, a song, a confirmation through scripture or even a walk by some bellowing cows!
Amen.