He never shuts up

Picture this...

It's May, 2003 (can that be 12+ years ago?!).

Since January of hat year, I've been reading the Bible every day, without fail.

And God has been talking my hind legs off!

I've dealt with 2 of the 3 BIGGEST issues in my life – a 3^rd one is yet to be addressed.

God has just walked me through months of restlessness & uncertainty about the direction of my life.

On the first Friday night of May of that year, He spoke to me as clearly as He ever has.

I was to leave music ministry & start being a part of the 20something ministry at the church where I was on staff.

Now, mind you, I'd been in music ministry for 30 years.

I'd spent a bunch of money getting a college degree in preparation for it.

This was no small transition for me.

But I was glad to do it, even though it was more than a little scary.

The intensity of God speaking to me through the Bible had ratcheted up quite a bit in the days & weeks leading up to His pointing out what I was to be & do.

So, that first Friday night in May, 2003, He quietly let me know what the “next” was for me.

The next morning, you can imagine how much I anticipated reading in the Bible.

I figured I was going to get some serious patting on the back from God for being so obedient.

(Quit laughing!)

I was reading sequentially 1 psalm each day (I still do this.)

Psalm 73 was the one I was slated to read that morning.

Well, Psalm 73 talks about how crabby the psalmist was because it seemed the wicked get away with their wickedness, they prosper in their wickedness, & how unfair it is.

I was not impressed.

Here I am, just obeyed God & made one of the biggest transitions of my life!

God's been talking my ears off for months!

And the morning after saying a BIG yes, all I get is a psalm about how the wicked prosper?!!!

I was working on a pretty significant pout!

And then I got to verse 24...

24 You will keep on guiding me with your counsel,

  leading me to a glorious destiny.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?

  I desire you more than anything on earth.

26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,

  but God remains the strength of my heart;

  he is mine forever.

Yeah...

I was so embarrassed...

I was SUCH a dirt bag...

God gave me a quiet word that morning,

not only about what lay ahead,

but how He doesn't shut up after we obey Him.

And I started learning a lesson about God...

He keeps on talking to us, even after a BIG yes.

He may not say what we think He will.

But He'll say something,

if we read the Bible every day, without fail.

Since that day, He's led me into all kinds of new situations, seasons, or “nexts”.

And He continues to talk to me through His word, before, during, & after saying yes.

Lots of times He doesn't say what I figured He'd say.

But He's always saying something.

If your curious, here's the whole psalm I read that morning...

Psalm 73

1 Truly God is good to Israel,

 to those whose hearts are pure.

2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing.

  My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.

3 For I envied the proud

  when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.

4 They seem to live such painless lives;

  their bodies are so healthy and strong.

5 They don't have troubles like other people;

  they're not plagued with problems like everyone else.

6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace

  and clothe themselves with cruelty.

7 These fat cats have everything

  their hearts could ever wish for!

8 They scoff and speak only evil;

  in their pride they seek to crush others.

9 They boast against the very heavens,

  and their words strut throughout the earth.

10 And so the people are dismayed and confused,

  drinking in all their words.

11 "What does God know?" they ask.

  "Does the Most High even know what's happening?"

12 Look at these wicked people—

  enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.

13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?

  Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?

14 I get nothing but trouble all day long;

  every morning brings me pain.

15 If I had really spoken this way to others,

  I would have been a traitor to your people.

16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.

  But what a difficult task it is!

17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,

  and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.

18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path

  and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.

19 In an instant they are destroyed,

  completely swept away by terrors.

20 When you arise, O Lord,

  you will laugh at their silly ideas

  as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter,

  and I was all torn up inside.

22 I was so foolish and ignorant—

  I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.

23 Yet I still belong to you;

  you hold my right hand.

24 You will keep on guiding me with your counsel,

  leading me to a glorious destiny.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?

  I desire you more than anything on earth.

26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,

  but God remains the strength of my heart;

  he is mine forever.

27 Those who desert him will perish,

  for you destroy those who abandon you.

28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God!

  I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter,

  and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.