| A few days just before Christmas, I spent a few hours in a hospital. My dad has cancer and periodically I take him for his cancer treatments. On his most recent visit, something interesting happened. While sitting in the waiting room, the TV was on and was loud enough to be heard over people talking. There was a hospital worker telling a story describing his experience of living and working through a hospital merger. Another worker was describing working at a hospital during 9/11 and the fear associated with that day. Directly to my right, a husband and wife were arguing about medicines taken and who was coming to their Christmas dinner. Yet, there were these two women (a cancer patient waiting for her treatment and her daughter) that were listening to the Bible read from a phone app. I actually thought I was witnessing a modern-day parable—in a world of chaos where noise abounds for everyone and everywhere, one can still hear the Word of God. It is never as loud as the surrounding voices, but it has the ability to penetrate the ear when one is ready to hear. I could clearly hear the Bible being read, though I was closer to the TV and the other people were extremely loud. Sometimes I think God is speaking all the time, and we are simply not willing to listen. Isaiah 30:27 says, “Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” We long for His voice in shouts like fireworks, hoping it would drown out all other sounds. Perhaps God speaks all the time in whispers for the purpose of closeness and intimacy with him. This week, listen intently. Look deliberately for the one speaking in whispers. There we can find the lover of our souls.  This Week’s Readings: * Monday – Luke 6 * Tuesday – Luke 7 * Wednesday- Luke 8 * Thursday – Luke 9 * Friday- Luke 10 Prayer Requests: * A Happy New Year for all!!! * Strengthen the St. Paul United Methodist Church family. * Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not. * Give our leaders extra wisdom as they navigate this pandemic and economic uncertainty. * Those seeking to find their way. |
| “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6 |