Recently, I was able to tag along when Dude and Bubba went to see their first movie on the big screen, "Frozen." At not quite 3 and 2 years old they may have been a bit young, but the movie was free and they actually did quite well.
These days the boys really remind me of the magicians Penn and Teller because Dude does all of the talking while Bubba just nods and looks expressively. So on our way out of the theater, it was Dude that I asked what he liked the best. His answer was one I never saw coming.
"I like the backhoe!"
Huh?
Let me interject here that as of late, Dude is obsessed with construction equipment. Just the other day he was talking to the librarian a mile a minute explaining about grappling trucks while I did my best to interpret and Bubba repeatedly roared while clutching his dinosaur book...
...for some reason I'm always exhausted after a day with the boys! But I digress.
...for some reason I'm always exhausted after a day with the boys! But I digress.
As we made our way across the parking lot I asked Dude for clarification since there is no backhoe in "Frozen". He turned around and pointed to a remote corner at the very back of the lot and said, "There's one right there." Sure enough, there was a backhoe just as he said. Being the nice grandma that I am (and sensing a potential blog post), we detoured by it on our way out so we could take a closer look.
Not long after the movie we were at Douglas Walker Park, at the small children's play area waaaay at the back, when Dude exclaimed "Look, a crane!" Sure enough, there was a crane ACROSS THE STREET! I'm terrible with distances but my husband says the playground is somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 mile back from the road. So really, really far away.
You see, it doesn't matter where we go or what we're doing. If there's a construction vehicle anywhere in the vicinity, Dude will spot it. Why? Because he's obsessed with them. He fascinated by them. He's passionate about the vehicles and so he's always searching for them.
Can you say the same about God?
You see, it doesn't matter where we go or what we're doing. If there's a construction vehicle anywhere in the vicinity, Dude will spot it. Why? Because he's obsessed with them. He fascinated by them. He's passionate about the vehicles and so he's always searching for them.
Can you say the same about God?
Have you ever asked that question? I know I have, especially when times get difficult (i.e. things are not going my way.) Over and over again Scripture tells us that God is always with us:
I will never leave you nor forsake you. ~ Joshua 1:5
He is not far from each one of us. ~ Acts 17:27b
The Lord is near ~ Philippians 4:5
I will never leave you nor forsake you. ~ Joshua 1:5
He is not far from each one of us. ~ Acts 17:27b
The Lord is near ~ Philippians 4:5
But if God is always with us, why aren't we always aware of it? I think there are several reasons. (Hint: none of them have anything to do with an error on God's part!)
1. We're too busy.
I used to say I'd like God to drop a neon sign in the sky so His directions would be clear to me, but as I spent time in God's word I realized that's not how He works.
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ~ 1 Kings 19:11-12
Generally God doesn't scream; He doesn't shout; He doesn't beat us over the head (although I'm sure there are times when we deserve it). He whispers. He wants to have our undivided attention. We need to be listening before He will speak.
Not only is the Bible the primary way God speaks to us, but by reading the Bible we also learn how to recognize His voice in other settings. That's how I discovered that God will usually whisper, not shout.
Whether you turn from the right or to the left your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, "this is the way, walk in it."
Anything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that...we might have hope. ~ Romans 15:4
21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” ~ John 14:21
Did you catch that? "Whoever keeps my commands...I will show myself to them." Jesus reveals Himself to those who are obedient! Think about it. Why would God tell us something new if we have not yet applied what He's already said?
[We] receive from Him anything we ask because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him. ~ 1 John 3:224. We have unconfessed sin.
Your sins have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear. ~ Isaiah 59:2
Is there a sin blocking your communication with God?
Not sure? Ask Him! He'll definitely let you know!
5. We don't have genuine faith; we're just going through the motions of religion.
These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. ~ Isaiah 29:13
If points numbered 1-4 are true, we need to seriously consider number 5.
6. We're just not looking for Him (or we're not looking in the right places).
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ~ Jeremiah 29:13
If we were as passionate about God as Dude is about construction equipment, we'd be seeing Him everywhere!
Where do you need to make an adjustment so that God becomes visible to you?
Father, I give praise that you are the God who speaks! Help us be ever attentive so we can hear. Draw us near so we can learn to recognize Your voice. Reveal anything that is coming between us so that we may see You where You are - everywhere!
Lisa
Evidently the movie did make some sort of impression on Dude. Just a few days after the movie, he walked into my house saying, "Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs." (Something Olaf the snowman said in the movie.) Just then, Bubba came through the door and without missing a beat Dude continued, "and this is Sven." For those of you who haven't seen the movie, here's Sven and Olaf:
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| Sven and Olaf from Disney's movie "Frozen." |
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Our neighbor is in construction and he owns a backhoe and has on occasion come over and dug us a hole or two Your boys sure do look interested in the movie. Thank you for sharing your awesome post with us here at “Tell Me a Story.” At: http://letmetelluastory.blogspot.com/
Construction equipment does tend to be a phase with some boys. My Dad sold it for years so I am some what familiar with the various pieces. I have to find lots of books and the toys to keep them entertained. I miss the days when Dad could get the cast iron samples from work.
LOL...love the backhoe story. He'd be in heaven here right now as there is construction everywhere. You can't go a mile without running into it. My WW
Oh what a fun post...and then your spiritual thoughts were excellent. Very good points about why we might "feel" far from God sometimes........!!