Listening to God

Sometimes God speaks to you well in advance, with long-range plans and careful articulation of dreams. Sometimes God interrupts those long-range plans and careful dreams. God does it easily both ways. The key question is 'are we listening?'. How do you hear God?

Well, answering that is alot like asking "How do you hear and understand your wife?" There is no formula, some trial and error...even failure. But in time, you will discover some principles that hold true.

Here are some principles that I have found to be true:
1) God is best heard by those adopeted as his children. This adoption happens when you place your faith in Jesus.
2) I try to keep my life as free from sin as possible. Sin blocks your ability to hear from God. When sin does creep in, confession is the best solution to keep clean before God.
3) Make time to listen. God is often speaking in a still small voice if we listen. Ask God to speak.
4) When you hear something, Obey. Immediately.
5) God's commands don't always make sense immediately. Often, you'll find out there is amazing wisdom after taking the risk. But it does not always fit the facts before you act.
6) If you have a strong emotive reaction (especially tears of joy) pay close attention. The world of emotion and the soul are deeply connected.
7) Kids often hear from God when adults are not listening. If they say they have, listen closely...they may be telling the truth.

When you align yourself with God and his purposes, your life impact is dramatically multiplied. Better to do one action prompted by God than a thousand nice things done in your own strength.

Census Anger?

In the message on 2 Samuel 24 "A sacrifice that costs nothing", I mentioned that I would blog about the difficult Bible question: "Why was God so mad about the census?" Wasn't David simply counting people? Well, today, I am trying something new...a video blog. The answer to that question can be found in the video below!

Angry at Census? from CCC Omaha on Vimeo.

What about babies?

One of the most heart-wrenching questions that somebody asks about eternity is the question "What happens to babies that die before they have the chance to make a decision for Jesus?" It was a question that I asked back in my early marriage years when we lost two babies during pregnancy.

As we go through the passages related to David, one of the best narrative passages related to babies emerges. In 2 Samuel 12, immediately after the Bathsheba/Nathan episode, David's son by Bathsheba is born and immediately becomes sick. David pleaded with God for the child and fasted and spent nights prostrate in prayer. Seven days later, the baby died.

When David was told this, he did something very strange. He got up, washed, put on lotions and worshipped God. His befuddled servants asked him about this and David responded by saying this:

"While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." 2 Sam 12:22-23

David models two great things in this. First, when the baby dies he worships God. He rests in the confidence of God's goodness and justice. He knows that God holds the keys to life and death and that He will do the right thing. God will judge everybody - even babies - justly. He knows everything about them, including what they WOULD have done if they HAD lived a full life. (mind-blowing, eh?) David's confidence in God through life and death is remarkable. He does not let the tragedy of life take him on a downward spiral away from God, but allows it to become an excuse to draw him closer to God.

Further, David knows that "I will go to him." There is a cool confidence that the baby's eternity is secure. So is David's. Therefore, he will go to be with the baby in heaven for eternity. Is this a clear doctrinal promise that every baby goes to heaven? No, that would be stretching the narrative too far. However, it does provide comfort for parents that we can rest in the goodness of God. We need not get trapped in a moment of pain forever.

God is merciful and good. David trusted that he would go to his baby on the other side of death. I trust that I will see my two kids on the other side of death. If you are struggling with the pain of a baby's death, I'd suggest that you take the same posture of trust that David had. Worship God and say "I will go to be with him."