When God Talks, People Listen - Or Do We?

I was staring at my zinnia plants, as I seem to do every day! They are so beautiful and simply amaze me with their development (the tallest are taller than me!). As I was looking at my overcrowded but beautiful zinnias, they were protruding away from the porch and were leaning toward the direction of the sun - toward the east. In fact, so many are leaning out into the grass that it has actually given the overcrowded plants in the back some room to breathe and grow. You can really see the direction in which they are leaning.

Suddenly my mind went back to a old commercial for EF Hutton, a financial investment firm. Do you remember?? There are usually 2 men conversing, and one is telling the other about what his financial planner is recommending for his future financial plan. He then asks his friend what the friend’s financial advisor is recommending. The friend says, “Well, my broker is EF Hutton, and EF Hutton says…”. At this moment, everyone else in the scene leans in to hear what "EF Hutton says"! Always loved that!

God had me thinking about the similarities between this commercial with people leaning toward a source of information for improving their lives and the zinnias leaning toward their source of life to improve their growth. Think about other examples:

• Members of a sports team lean toward the center of the group where the coach stands giving his last instructions before they take the field or court

• Members of a construction crew leaning over the blueprint of the house they are building to get the latest changes/instructions before they begin building

In the natural, the flowers are leaning, growing, and reaching toward the SUN, which is what gives them the ability to make and store food for the plant to use as it grows. The sun is the source of the making of the food.

In the spiritual view, we (the flowers) are leaning and reaching toward Jesus, the SON, who gives us the Word (food) and teaches what we need in order to grow in His Light. The leaning is intentional, not casual; full of expectancy, not normalcy; purposeful, not accidental.

Do you see it? Can you see the throngs of crowds leaning in to hear this miracle worker and this teacher? Can you see them gathering on the mountain side, wanting to get closer and closer to Him? He was/is the source of information about God and a better way of life. He gave them life-changing information and instructions.

The examples above are of people who listen to their coach/boss/commercials - the sources of information and instructions. These people then take action to carry out these instructions. They are trying to improve themselves on their jobs, in their sports skills, and in life.

Aren’t we doing the same thing as we, individually and collectively, lean in toward God to hear His instructions and His direction/guidance for improving our lives? Aren’t we discerning and actively pursuing His will for our lives and the lives of others?

Just as the flowers are drawn toward the SUN, which is their source of strength, we are also drawn toward Jesus, the SON, who is our source of strength.

Let us continue to lean toward the God who is our main source of strength, who guides us and gives us instructions on how to live and fulfill His will for us and for growing His Kingdom!

When God talks, people listen - or do we?

Thanks for stopping by,

Rachel