Leading & Learning

This isn’t the first time I’ve intentionally began this quest. It’s just the first time I’ve decided to “write out loud”  about it (that’s what I call blogging – as opposed to “writing quietly” ie. journaling).

It began in Proverbs 2. I wasn’t even planning on studying it. I just went to my favorite coffee spot to spend a few hours or so immersed in His Word (I am steadily still working through Matthew), and somehow God led me there. I wish I could remember how or even why, but I can’t. All I know is that since last Monday I have been consumed with this quest once again.

I have prayed and prayed. I’ve gone back to the Scriptures and spent concentrated time in many different passages. I’ve even talked with a few folks about it. Now 6 days since this new quest began, I am still left with more questions than answers. I am not sure what to expect, but I will share it with you as I can.

Tune your ears to wisdom… concentrate on understanding… cry out for insight… ask for understanding… search for them as you would silver…

Although many passages of Scripture talk about how wisdom is God’s gift to us, it seems as though He is telling us (is this a command?) to actively and earnestly look for it. My sense is that we need to do this first – THEN he grants us the gift. But I don’t know that for sure. And if we do tune our ears, concentrate, cry out, ask, search, seek… how do we know when the “gift” has been received? It’s not like He knocks on our door and leaves a wrapped present for us!

Is the second half of our part to take the time to wait for that wisdom from Him before acting? Hmmm… if that is true, than I’m in a world of trouble! I can’t remember a decision, personal or professional, where I truly WAITED for God’s wisdom! Not that I’m a reckless goof… but I am an “achievement addict”  who spends hours upon hours “doing.” 

Lord, help me to honestly and consistently take the time to listen quietly for Your soft voice.

Until next time.

When I first learned about the “gifts” that were given to each believer in Christ I didn’t quite get it. I understood a gift to be something tangible, something given to another with no strings attached – hence the word “gift.” Right? Wrong! These gifts were spiritual in nature and I couldn’t see or touch them. Okay, I thought. Like the gift of salvation, right? “Yes, that’s it,” I was told by longtime believing friends. So I went on about my business without really putting a whole lot more thought into it. Every once in awhile I’d hear a sermon on 1 Corinthians 12 and I would listen intently, once again trying to figure the whole thing out.

Then, a few days ago, something happened that not only helped me understand this teaching even better, but it left me overwhelmed to tears. I literally saw the gift of MERCY expressed in a magnificantly supernatural way. Let me explain…

As I was getting ready for work on Thursday October 2nd, I received a desperate call from my mom. Her and Dad had just heard from the Doctor about the results of my Dad’s medical tests the week before. He has a tumor on his kidney. Mom was really upset and the only comforting thing I could say was, “sit down and have a cup of tea – try to relax – I’ll call you back in a bit.”

I knew exactly who to call. My friend LeAnne (I call her Le for short) used to be an oncology nurse and now she is a sort of “resident nurse” for our entire church, giving out whatever advice she can and always knowing exactly the right thing to say. She took my call and explained that she was late for a meeting, then heading up to the mountains for a planned church retreat, then coming back down for a funeral of a close friend who had died suddenly only 5 days prior. My immediate thought? Wow! This is a bad time to burden her! But listen to how she responded….

She listened intently while I told her what had happened and tried to explain Dad’s prognosis the best I could. She talked it through with me and told me what she knew about kidney tumors. Then… she committed to going online once she reached the mountains (yes, during the retreat) and calling me back before lunchtime! I responded that that was too much to ask, but she wouldn’t back down from her commitment.  Her commitment alone took me back. I remember thinking in my mind how amazing it was – that she truly has the gift of mercy – I knew that I wouldn’t have ever made that kind of commitment. However, if I didn’t hear from it would be okay. My goodness, her plate was extremely full!

At around 11 am, my cell phone rang. I was in a meeting but saw that, sure enough, it was Le. I asked permission to take the call and she briefly explained the results of her research and gave me several ounces of encouragement at the same time. As I hung up the phone, tears began to flow quietly from my eyes. What a wonderful expression of Christ’s love!

I am so thankful that God has equipped the Body of Christ with supernatural gifts. And that day, and again as I relive it now, I am so thankful for my friend Le’s beautiful expression of her gift. She is my SUPERhero!