A Sign...

I admit it, when it comes to messages from God, I'm a billboard kind of gal.  I want God to throw up a BIG ol' sign with step by step directions and a map that shows the final destination as well as all the roads to avoid.  I want rays of light to shine on that billboard as the rest of the world fades to black so that I can't miss it... even if I tried.  Problem is, God seldom works that way.

That isn't to say that He isn't delivering messages to me (or you for that matter), He just doesn't tend to be that showy.  He's been there done that and wrote a book about it.  Sure, He parted the Red Sea, spoke through a burning bush, and even walked around in a superheated furnace and kept 3 guys from being incinerated at the same time and many other BIG displays of His power and might.  And He could definitely do it today if it suited His needs.  But God's plan doesn't include show, it is all about the heart.

God is looking for followers that take the time to get to know Him.  It's kind of like dating (hang with me for a minute).  In a new relationship you get to the person.  You go out of your way to discover what they like and don't like, what makes them happy, and what doesn't.  You pay attention to the little details and make adjustments in your own life to accommodate them.  The relationship deepens and becomes more intimate as you spend more time with them.  You seek them out, think about them when you are apart, you miss them and can't wait to be reunited.  You begin to understand who they really are.  You don't have to ask what they want to do with you for the most part-you already know.  THAT is what God is after with you!

He has already given you all the clues.  What other relationship can you begin where you are given a book that gives you the inside scoop?  But how many of us pick up our Bible on a daily basis and take the time to really learn His character?  That is the first way God sends us messages.  It's a big ol' love note that we let sit on the coffee table and gather dust.  Is it any wonder we don't often get the billboard?

I want to challenge you to get a notebook and a pen before you sit down with your Bible.  Pray and ask God to reveal a part of Himself to you in your reading.  If you ask, He'll show you - I promise! (Deuteronomy 4:29)  And when He does, write it down.  It's your special journal between the two of you. The more you look to discover who He is and what pleases Him, the less time you will spend looking for billboards.  Why? Because you will recognize that He is all around you leaving love notes.  He is in the beautiful sunrise, the lone wildflower poking up from the sidewalk on your path, the perfectly timed word of comfort from a friend that didn't even know you needed it.  He has always been there, leaving these signs for you, you just didn't notice.