Happy Thursday!

Psalm 85:8 “Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people.”

How many of us have spouses? How many of us have children? How many of us have friends, co-workers, neighbors, parents or anyone else with whom we visit? The common thread in this entire list is that we have conversations with all of these people. A conversation is when two people share thoughts and ideas with each other. If a conversation is held respectfully, one person talks and the other listens. To quote The word in Season, “listening is an intentional act involving purposeful listening with the goal of understanding the other person.” That has to be one of the best definitions of listening I have ever read.

Have you ever noticed as you are in conversation that a lot of the time one person cannot state an entire thought because the other person has interrupted with their own thoughts? (This act personally drives me crazy.) I stopped watching the TV show The View because all of the panelists spoke at the same time and showed no respect for the thoughts of the others on the panel. I have attended meetings where this very same act occurred. In my classroom even teaching young children to listen patiently until one has finished speaking is one of the most difficult skills I teach. But I stick with my plan and before long the children remember to not interrupt and to listen to each other politely and respectfully. We all learn so much more from each other when we practice listening.

Our conversations with God need to be much the same. We tend to talk to God and then hang up the phone without waiting for God to have His turn to speak. God lets us talk to our hearts content. And He so patiently listens. I have come to notice that God seems to collect His thoughts before He speaks. And if we have not already ended the conversation, then He gets a chance to speak with us. Sometimes I think God is just waiting for us to take a breath!

God loves us so much and loves to be in conversation with us. I think the definition of listening mentioned earlier in this passage is so true. Listening is an intentional act. This is one intentional act that takes practice. But I love the second part of the sentence that says purposeful listening has the goal of getting to know the other person. God gets to know us when we talk and we get to know and understand God when we listen to Him.

This verse has such a wonderful promise. The verse says that God will speak peace to His people. Has God ever spoken peace to you? If God has spoken to you as He has spoken to me, you had to be quiet in order for God’s peace to penetrate your heart. I had to stop talking and listen. If you are having fears in your life or if you are seeking peace for your soul, pray this verse. Fear cannot live where peace is present. Ask God to speak His Word of peace to you and believe that God will flood your soul with blessed peace.

Take joy in the journey and stay in the shade. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.