A Touching Dance
Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10 (NIV)
I want to hear Him. It is the deepest desire of my heart.
Sadly, I wonder how often He calls me and I’m oblivious.
I’ve learned that my expectations of how He speaks are too narrow. Sometimes I’m sure it’s Him and I can say, “Wow! God you are amazing!”
Like when He declares His power through the rumble of deep rolling thunder drawing me to scan the skies for hide and seek bolts of electricity.
Or as I wiggle my toes in warm sand, and He roars through huge glistening waves that swell, collapse, pound, and burst with foam, as they chase each other to the shore.
I’m captivated when He puffs huge white clouds full of brilliant light having them curl, roll and billow across the sky, inviting me to play, “Name That Shape.”
No doubt, that’s Him. He told us He communicates with nature. I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genius 9-14 (NIV).
I wonder if He creates the spectacular, smiles, and thinks, “Now that should get their attention.”
But does it have to be spectacular?
Like every loving father, He also speaks tenderly to His children. When He sends a warm breeze to caress us unexpectedly, a colorful butterfly, a bright red cardinal or shooting stars for us to marvel at. If we are truly awake, we catch small wonders and know they are His brilliance and diversity in action. His way of whispering, “I created an incredible world for you little one because I love you.”
He calls us because He wants to be in relationship with us. My heart quickens when I realize the Creator of the whole universe wants my attention.
But I play a part. Sometimes the noise in life is not sound. It’s hurry. Worry. That’s when I’m most likely to miss Him trying to connect with me. He urged us, Be still and know that I am God…Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
And when I am still within, and I hear, indeed I do! I know! Not think. Or believe. I know that I know. He is God and I am His.
Was Elijah still within? Did he count on grand presentations only? Is that why God sent him up that mountain?
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 1Kings 19:11-12 (NLV)
Consider that “gentle whisper.” Was it a soft voice with words? Wouldn’t the Bible have told us what words the Lord used?
We comprehend messages all the time without words. A baby’s reach. A kitten’s purr. A dog’s wagging tail.
Should we limit the Creator of the whole universe to our grossly inadequate vocabulary?
After all, we listen with our ears. But we also “hear” with our hearts.
Did Elijah hear that gentle whisper with his heart?
I hear Him in my heart speaking through a sunbeam warming the top of my head, the sound of wind in the treetops, the velvety feel of a flower petal, the vibrant colors of green acorns and bright autumn leaves.
In my garden named, “Selah,” (meaning pause and consider), as I dig weeds, (strongholds), transplant (correction), cut back (prune), and delight in its beauty, I hear Him there. He helps me unravel how, with those same actions, He is creating the best possible garden in me. Frequently I am surprised by the whiff of a wonderful scent causing me to reflect on His words: Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising to God. 2 Corinthians 2:15 (NLT). He sends me a delightful fragrance to remind me that I am an incredible fragrance to Him.
So very precious are the moments when I realize My Lord has cleared the cobwebs of my noisy life and reached out to touch me. Me! I’m so insignificant and undeserving that the intense feelings of gratitude and true worship that I feel become physical. Spontaneously my breath catches, and I’m overcome with gooseflesh and sometimes tears. Because in whatever way He has spoken, spectacular, or subtle, when I hear Him, my heart is experiencing my most profound longing. Union. His spirit touched me, and my spirit is touching back. I am dancing with my Creator.
I would be truly grateful for your comments.
How do you experience Him in nature?
What is happening when you, “Know that you Know,” He is God and you are His?
The Conversation
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Hi, I am Deborah! Thank you for joining me.
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The Conversation
Thank you so much for this! I am amazed. God has been drawing my attention to many of these very things in the last couple of days, even a few min. ago on my drive to work I was thanking Him for His creation, the birds that sing, the trees and grass, the sweet smell that I commented on to another friend this moring. On the drive home last night a breeze of freshly cut mint permeated the air. It is difficult for me to connect to the Father’s love and your message just let me know that this is what He was saying to me. He is indeed faithful and kind.
Thank you for your beautiful comment Tina. It’s awesome that your heart is so full of gratitude for His creations. Gratitude is such a pure form of worship and love. I could almost smell that freshly cut mint when I read your post, what a wonderful fragrance to gift you. I agree with you, He is indeed faithful and kind.
I see my Father the great creator in so many ways. He is with me as I hold my horses close to me and take in their beautiful scent, in their huge dark eyes that seem to connect with me, and in the strong and muscular bodies. He is present as I groom my cats and I feel one with the felines who reach up to kiss me on my forehead. God is so close to me when I am in the fields looking at my old barn and thinking about the many animals it held. I see and feel his presence as I observe the leaves moving gently by the unseen wind. I look up 80 feet and look in awe at the strong limbs of the walnut tree. I feel God’s presence as I help my mama with her hygiene needs and look in her eyes touched by dementia searching for understanding and assurance that she is okay. God is about me all the day and every time I slow down I am reminded of His being and I know He us with me.
Your comments are beautiful. I’ve often wondered about horses, something so much bigger than us with a mind of their own, their own wisdom, their own guidance systems. You are so blessed to see God all around you and recognize Him, even in your mother’s eyes. I know this season with her has to be hard. Thank you so much for sharing such rich and deeply spiritual experiences.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from all of creation, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20).
There is a foothill mountain behind my house where the sun rises each morning. The moon rises behind it every night as well. I rarely gaze at it quickly. I’ve been here 26 years and it still stops me in my tracks. His voice has called out to me over that mountain more times then I can count. When I want to feel close to God, my eyes look up to those hills. I know what David knew. “I lift my eyes to the hills and where does my help come from? My help comes from The Lord; Maker of Heaven and Earth”. David went to God’s creation when he needed help. He knew that just a gaze would put Him in tune with his Creator. The hills (or my mountain) are instruments that God uses to get my attention. But I’ve come to realize, that they evoke the response that pleases my Savior. He wants me….He beckons me….through the created world to adore Him and give him all the glory. Yes, He commands my attention without one…..single…..word. ❤️☀️🙌🏻
Beautifully said! And thank you for the scripture too. I love the imagery that you lift up your eyes in the same way that David did with the same song in your heart. Truly beautiful.
Beautiful words! I had a unique experience of God in nature that involved a bee and what I can only describe as a faith healing. Right now I hear the rain on the roof and it will accompany my bedtime prayers. Thank you for this blessing.
Thank you. I’m so glad it was a blessing. I’d love to hear your story about the bee. Especially since the name Deborah means, the bee, one who does the impossible. I can’t say I live up to that, but I do love bees and bee stories.
Beautiful and touching…..
Thank you my friend.
I experience him through the stretch of my independent cat, wanting me to pick him up. Displaying soft eyes and wanting to be held but knowing I need it more. When I sit outside late at night and as much as I dislike little creatures; they come and I talk to them resulting in an unusual pattern of repetitive behavior with something so insignificant that I look forward to. The wind that blows allowing me to exhale my fears, anxieties and troubles from the day.
When I know that I know He is God and I am His; I am in awe, shock and speechless. There are no words that I can muster that are greater than that moment. He knows my heart.
So beautifully well said. Those of us who have experienced it understand that “awe, shock and speechless.” I don’t think our language can do justice that feeling. The only word that fits for me is worship. When the Bible says we will worship in heaven, it must mean that.