Rainy Day
We have needed rain for a long time and today it has finally come. It is a nice gentle rain that will soak in the ground rather than run off. I am grateful. When we have this kind of day I think of the quote in Isaiah (I think it is chapter 55 or 56) about how the rain and snow come down and water the earth and do not return to God empty making the erth fruitful and providing food for the one who sows, etc. Then it ways "just so will my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It will not return to me void but will accomplish the end for which I sent it." That is so powerful. A little scary when I think of myself as a word of God that must accomplish God's end for me. But also encouraged and joyful that there is no other possibility. IT WILL ACCOMPLISH THE END.

I'm going to enjoy this day and the demand and assurance that I accomplish the end for which I am sent.

God's Call
Last night we had a gathering for women interested in exploring their call in life. Only one woman and two sisters attended, but the conversation was quite inspiring. In the course of talking about how we have experienced God's call throughout our lives, the diversity was beautiful and somewhat overwhelming. One obviously experienced God's call in the needs of others, one was more in tune with God's call in signs and dreams and one struggled to hear God's call in the midst of a great deal of busyness. This last one had a great hunger to know God in a personal way and to experience God in daily prayer.

And what about the freedom to hear God? We shared about that too. Fear keeps us from being who we are called to be. Fear of being rejected or fear of being a failure or fear of seeing our own faults or fear of not meeting the expectations of others. We hide from God as Adam and Eve did after eating the fruit. We hide and then we can't hear.

What keeps you from hearing God?