Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Genesis 1: 26-27 (NKJV)           

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…”
I John 3: 1a (ESV)

“Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”
I Kings 19: 11-12 (NKJV)

I wonder if you have ever stopped to reflect on all the different voices around you seeking your attention.

Or the ones which upon closer reflection, you find yourself too often listening to on a regular basis.

What do they say to you? Or maybe require of you?

You need to do better. Can’t believe you fell short again. 

You probably will never learn. 

But maybe one day, if you keep at it, and get a break, you might win. Maybe.

The never-ending noise of voices. 

They’re all around us, and sometimes rising up from within us—flowing from the world around us, and from our own past experiences, or the opinions and judgments of others from the past. 

Critical voices. Voices setting and re-setting requirements and expectations.

Voices which, sadly, we begin to believe. 

Voices then causing us to begin to paint a picture of ourselves as someone less than who God created us to be.

Then we begin to set aside long-held dreams, believing we could never reach them anyway. 

Forgetting that “…God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him.”

And the voices full of all those lies, condemnation, and ridicule begin to pile up and stick within us.

And we’re not sure who we are anymore.

Loneliness overwhelms us. Emptiness remains within the void. Feeling lost. Hopeless.

But enter, as it always does, that still small Voice of God, like Elijah heard as he was running for his life from King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.

“…but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”

That still small Voice of love, grace, encouragement, protection, and warmth.

That Voice of truth that reminds you that you are His child. That He is proud of you. And that you make Him smile. 

In the song “The Truth” Megan Woods shares simply and clearly what God thinks of you and me. Here are a few of her words from that song—

“When I feel like there’s so much noise,
Livin’ rent-free in my head,
Heaven finds me in a still small voice.
And it sounds like grace instead.
You remind me who I am,
When I look in the mirror, and I’m not so sure.
Lord, I don’t wanna listen to the lies anymore.
The truth is I am my Father’s child.
I make Him proud and I make Him smile.
I was made in the image of a perfect King.
He looks at me and wouldn’t change a thing.
The truth is I am truly loved
By a God who’s good when I’m not good enough.
I don’t belong to the lies, I belong to You.
And that’s the truth…”

In the midst of it all, there is only one Voice to listen to and follow.

The still small Voice of God. The Voice of truth.

The Voice of your Father. My Father.

We make Him proud. We make Him smile.

In His Name–Scott

Relax, take a moment, and watch and listen to Megan Woods sing “The Truth.” You will be blessed. 

 

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