HE SPEAKS WHEN WE GIVE HIM TIME

When building communication with the Lord, it is importantto give God time and resist impulsiveness and assumptionafter hearing Him.

 I have a solitaire game on my computer that is possibleto win every time if played correctly.  All the cardsare visible, and laid in vertical piles.  Winning the

game is based on choices of moving cards around from onestack to another.  A card may have an opening to move ontop of another pile, but timing is everything.  You have tolook ahead to see the ramifications of moving at that time.It might be better to move another card pile first.

One day as I was playing the game above, the concept wasquickened to me that this is how the Lord works His will onearth: TIMING IS EVERYTHING.  People making choices, in aseries of waiting and moving, just like the cards.  Each timepeople move when and where they are supposed to (eitherby actions or reactions), their lives get more organized andline up for future “breakthroughs.”  This could not happenwithout first being willing to wait on the Lord for Histiming.

In practical terms, just because there is an opportunity,doesn’t mean we are supposed to take it — and justbecause we see a place to move, does not mean we aresupposed to move there at that time. Movement can beachieved by people’s actual physical decisions, thusproducing physical, spiritual and emotionalramifications.  Or movement can be internal decisionsno one else knows about, yet having great significance.All movement requires a decision.  And all decisions haveramifications.  In other words, cause and effect.Therefore, it is vital to wait for Him to line things upthrough HIS time.

There needs to be a balance between waiting andmoving.  He doesn’t want to raise children who are afraidof their own shadow, afraid to move.  He also doesn’twant robots or wooden puppets for children.  We don’tneed God’s guidance to brush our teeth.  Likewise, somespiritual movement is practical.  We can live ourChristian life expecting God to use us, to touch others aswe live among them.  When the Lord was trying toconvince me of this during a particular season, He gaveme the following inspired Word (excerpt from mydevotional book, Words to Ponder):

WORD TO PONDER: BLENDEDWe are one.  You and I.  You will begin to recognizethis as I confirm your way.  I pour Myself into youand blended we reach out together.  Did you think Iwanted puppets for sons?  - Yes, willing and movablevessels.  Yet not wooden.  It is YOU I desire, ALL ofyou.  I gave you a personality unique as yourfingerprint.  No one can match your mold.  Together,we blend and touch others.

I do not want to strip you as you seek to do My will.As you empty yourself and wait, you forget I MADEyou human.  I could have made you an angel but Imade you a living person and send you to other livingpersons.  Together we will move.  Words are lifelesswithout My Spirit.  You speak it, I quicken it.  I gobefore you and prepare hearts.  We will worktogether.

The opposite of waiting is impulsive hearing.Impulsive hearing is reaching out and grabbing aWord and running away with it without thought orconsideration.  It is quick action without wisdom ofhow or when His Word is to be applied.

“Discretion will preserve you; understanding will keepyou.”  (Proverbs 2:11 NKJV)

When the Lord intends tospeak an entire paragraph,but only speaks a bit at atime, it is because He wantsa series of reactions andactions from us as a resultof hearing His Word.  It’s asthough He has a long rangeplan in saying something,and He knows if He said itall at once we would not beprepared to receive it.Therefore, He gives one bitat a time, until He reachesHis goal of the entireparagraph!  When wepounce on a Word fromHim, and do not give Himtime to clarify it or tie itdown with reference points,then we miss His intent.

Similar to impulsiveness isassumption - thetemptation of jumping toconclusions, either beforeHe is finished speaking, orbefore understanding takesplace.  It is so easy to jumpahead of God.  Sometimesthis can get us in a pickle.

One day my son and Iwere walking in themall together.  I was

walking too slow for himand he would get ahead,

then stop and wait for meto catch up.  This happenedseveral times.  “Mom, yougotta remind me every nowand then that you’re myMom, because since youwalk so slow, I tend to getahead and then walk nextto someone I think is myMom!”  This was a privatejoke in reference to anotherexperience that happenedearlier in the summer.  Wewere at Fred Meyer andwhile I was waiting in lineat the cashier, I saw my sonwalk up to a lady in thenext line over.  He cut in andstood right behind her.  Hewas standing so close to her,I realized he must think Iwas that lady!  I startedlaughing and laughing.Finally he looked upthrough the candy shelvesbetween us, straight intomy laughing face.  Helooked horrified!  Then hequickly ran over to me.  Ilooked at the lady and shealso thought the wholething was quite amusing.(My son didn’t think it wasfunny at all!)

The same thing can happenwith hearing the Lord.  We

get in a hurry and assume something is Him and itisn’t.  Also mistakes can be avoided, if we do notassume we understand.  He may speak on severaloccasions, for several weeks, and perhaps yearsbefore giving His “punchline.”  If conclusions aredrawn too early, it may cut Him off from all He iswanting to say.   Bring what is heard back to Himand let Him clarify it, confirm it, making His Word anail in a sure strong  place.  “I will fasten him as anail in a sure place.”  (Isaiah 22:23 KJ)  This takestime.  Wait for Him.

His Words, no matter what form they come in, areexactly like the parable of the sower and the seed.(Mark 4)  When He speaks His Words they arereceived as a seed, then  they must be kept withpatience.  The “kept” part is a long growing process.The wind, the rain, the storms, the sun, the heat, thedry time: keeping His Word will enable us to gothrough them all.  His Word must be confirmed andplanted like an anchor, where nothing coming againstit will cause it to drift from its anchored mooring.Being confirmed and planted takes time.  Give Godtime.