Sky Note

"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. (Rom. 8:14)

This weekend my friend, Angie, and I took a road trip to the Gulf Breeze, FL, area.  It was a clear, beautiful day.  The kind of day that makes you glad to live near water!    As we drove along, talking about the Lord, we passed over a bridge.  The water absolutely sparkled and glittered like thousands of tiny diamonds upon the water's surface.  We  marveled at the beauty while talking about how to discern God's will for our lives.  His direction.  How do we know?  About that time I noted, "It's a beautiful day.  The only cloud in the sky is caused by an airplane."  Suddenly, my friend exclaimed- "That's words!"  Incredible!  The plane was spelling out a circular message, complete with an American flag.  Talk about the writing on the walls! 

I was so busy looking at the small picture, I  totally missed the big picture!  By the time I realized there was a message, the clouds were already disintegrating, spreading and bleeding together. The moment gone.  Evaporated.  And I had missed the message.  Thankfully, as we reached our destination, the plane appeared again.  And this time we were ready!  Ready to decode the message.

I  wonder how many times I am too distracted to get the message the Lord is giving me.  Perhaps He is writing it on the walls (Dan. 5) - or in the sky- plain as day.  But I  am not looking up.  Discerning His will is probably not as hard as we make it.  I think the answer is found more in childlike faith than in expecting obvious signs.  The gentle nudge.  The subtle knowing.  The unease.  All these are ways that the Lord directs our path.  The Good Shepherd, herding us in the right direction.  Cutting us off when we head off on the wrong path.  That is His gentle nurture.  His thoughtful protection. 

Christians seem to veer off in either one ditch or the other.  We either go our own way, uncaring of what the Lord wants for our life...or we park on the other shoulder of the road, afraid to do anything unless we can "hear from God."  I think the balance is somewhere in the middle.  Starting down a direction, but always with an ear to the Father to hear if He would change our course.  Willing to walk and take initiative, but also willing to stop if the Lord bids us to "Halt!"

The Bible clarifies, "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God."(Rom. 8:14)  Good children.  Good sheep.  Follow.  They are led, they go as they are bid.  They do not second guess.  They do not run ahead or lag behind.  They keep in pace with the shepherd.  They trust.

Dear Lord, help me to be led by Your Spirit.  Attune my ears to hear your voice.  Open my eyes to see Your direction, Your sign.  Grant me a tender and receptive heart that hears Your faintest warning.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.