Breathe steam

A background ringing. A heaviness, as if a sock were stuffed inside my ear. I am not deaf, but I am relying on lip-reading to clarify what I think I hear. 

This is how I come to God. I want to hear his voice clearly, but there is a background ringing, an earworm reminding me of concerns, chores, people-to-call or e-mail. Distracting me from the focus I long to have. 

I want to hear his voice clearly, but there is something dulling the acuity of my hearing. Cultural baggage. Political correctness. Societal assumptions. 

I’ve been given some decongestant and told to breathe steam. I need to decongest my spiritual ears, and spend time in the steam-room of prayer and the sauna of the Bible.

I know that will do the trick. All I need is to prioritise the time...

Resolutions

Back to school/work/normality today. 

New day. New year. God knows the plans he has for me and if I am wise, I will sit with him long enough to hear his whisper and run with him. Too often have I run away from him, following what I thought was my heart or was a better direction.

My ‘to do’ list is as complete a list of new year’s resolutions as I will make, but it is pretty comprehensive and daunting. I need to sit with him and hear his voice, following his advice on what to cross off my list and adding the things he suggests.

The great thing about our Father is that he loves us and wants to hang out with us. How unwise I am to follow my list slavishly rather than offering it to him for his advice. And it’s not all about ‘doing’ anyway...the sitting with him is such a breath of fresh air.

That’s the number one, the only, resolution I am making this year. To prioritise time with the Father.

I’ve got some Bible reading notes published in this quarter’s edition of Day by Day with God, from BRF. Sometimes it helps to have a guide as we navigate the Bible.