“But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!” (Matthew 10:26-27 NLT)
These words of Jesus, while the context is quite different than what I was trying to address in yesterday’s post, the process is very similar. Like Stephen before his murderers, the Lord opened his heart and mind to share exactly what the Lord instructed him to say, not in an effort to save himself, but his hearers.
Similarly, over time the Lord finetuned Paul’s heart and mind to hear his voice, even above the fierce storms of his life, both literal and figurative. It’s not unlike the sensitivity we learn to have for our spouse’s gestures, nods, expressions, sighs, or moods. Sometimes they mean: “I really like that! Do more of that!” But other times they can mean: “Am I going to have to choke you to get you to stop or shut up!”
It’s taken me a lot of years to learn how to take more “silent cues” or, as I like to refer to them, “promptings” from the Lord. Most recently the Lord asked me to send a text to two people about two completely different things, but the promptings came simultaneously. At other times I’ll be reading or listening to something (i.e. a book or a sermon) and the Lord says: “Share that in a blog article!” or “send this to a certain person or group of people.”
At times He’ll prompt me to write a card or send something out of the norm for someone’s birthday, anniversary, or loss of a loved one. One thing all of these have in common is that they come from the Lord, not from a card company. And yes, of course, use store bought cards to “prime your creative pump,” but don’t let anyone but the Lord tell you what to say.
Even as I write these articles, I’ll set down without any agenda or idea, just knowing the Lord has something He wants to say to someone He knows will be reading His blog (not mine) on any given day. I’m not exaggerating, sometimes I look at what the Lord has given me and I think: “Whoa! That was good! Did THAT come from me?” To which the Lord quickly responds: “No, son, it came from Me, but I’m letting you write it!”
Seriously, I’m making no effort to be humble. I give the Lord credit for everything good that comes from this blog. My goal in the beginning was to write 400 articles. That was the “magic” number that I was reading any blog that wants to get noticed must have. As I write these words the Lord has published more than 1,100 articles, and none have been repeats.
Of course, some of the 1,100 I’ve “borrowed” from other authors, but have always given credit. Even those came at the “prompting” of the Lord. Some authors like Sylvia Gunter, Ron Hutchcraft, David Jeremiah, John Stonestreet, Rick Warren, Ray Majoran, and others I quote from more frequently because I read their blogs and get a lot of ideas from them. But, again, I always give credit.
Ultimately, the Lord deserves all the credit, because whoever writes the words, the Lord gives the inspiration. That’s essentially what “promptings” are when the Lord is dealing with specific “missions” upon which He wants us to embark, such as calls, cards, or invitations to people in our spheres of influence. But the timing can be critical as we must move in the window of opportunity He dictates.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 