expecting Him to speak

this morning, i tried to sneak away for a few quiet moments to work on my Bible study.  only seconds after i got settled, my sweet niece finds me and inquired about what i was doing.  i told her i was going to do my Bible study.  she then asked, “what does that mean?”  i explained to her that i was going to spend time in my Bible with Jesus to hear Him speak to me.  wow, such a sunday school answer.  i wish i would have explained more about how digging into God’s Word helps me know His character and more about Him.  through knowing Him more, i can follow Him better and hear Him when He wants to tell me something.  but, i didn’t say all that.  i gave a quick answer, so i could get on with “more important” things.  little did i know, my words would be a lesson to me.

the first thing i read in my beth moore james study was james 4:6a, “He gives greater grace.”  i was sitting quietly trying to soak it in and allow it to penetrate my hard head and heart.  what a marvelous, unfathomable truth.  the text went on to share that “He is enough.”  i read that statement twice and then the door opened.  that precious blonde walked over and stared at me with those big, round blue eyes.  “well, what did He say?” she asked believing that if He was supposed to speak, He would.  i shared with her about His greater grace and what that meant.  my study even asked me to say it aloud.   so i did so with her standing right there.  “He gives greater grace.”

she wandered back into the other room to resume her computer game, while i continued on with my study.  i was nearing the end when i was supposed to read through the following list of truths.

– “God knows everything about you and everything concerning you.  nothing is hidden from His sight.  so submit to God.”
– “He is always looking out for your ultimate good and takes our hurts personally. so submit to God.”
– “He is Holy and worthy and incapable of abusing His divine authority over you.  so submit to God.”
– “He knows when your motive was right but your mouth messed up.  so submit to God.”
– “He knows exactly how to work terrible into good. so submit to God.”
– “He loves you completely and unconditionally and will never let you go. so submit to God.”
– He knows the well-deliberated plan for your life and how all things must fall into place for you to fulfill your destiny.  so submit to God.”
– “He will never put to shame those who trust in Him. so submit to God.”

as i was reflecting on these powerful statements and which of them spoke to me the most, the door quietly opened again.  “what did He say now, dandi?”  only moments before i had told her that God speaks through His Word and now she was confident that He would.  she was so convinced that she came and asked me not once, but twice what He was saying to me.   after i shared a truth or two that i loved with her, she smiled and said, “i like that.”

she had briefly heard of His character and that He speaks through His Word.  so, she expected Him to speak.  i know and have intimately experienced His character, yet so many times i am not willing, ready, or believing He has anything to say to me.  well, He did today.  through His Word, my Bible study, and the faith of a child He spoke loud and clear.  may i always be positioned with a believing heart to receive what He has to say.

** excerpts are from beth moore’s james Bible study, “mercy triumphs.” published by lifeway.