Monday, February 20, 2017

Communication

Prayer is the way and means God has appointed for the communication of the blessings of His goodness to His people.  A.W. Pink

Last Friday I went to the bank.  It was the same day that I lost my ATM card in the ATM machine. That should have been my first clue that I should have stayed away from the bank.  It ate it and wouldn’t give it back.  At lunch I decided to go to the bank and transfer money to my other banking institution so I would have cash available. 

I had a check that needed to be deposited so I decided to deposit that as well.  When I get to the bank I realize that I have the wrong checkbook so I can’t make my deposit so I decide to go ahead and deposit the check I had with me. 

The teller at the bank asked me if I needed an ink pen and I told her I did so she sent me hers.  As I finish filling out my deposit slip I look down and the ink pen she loaned me is missing the cap.  So I proceed to start looking for the cap.  I turn to her and tell her I lost her cap.  She responds by saying “Oh No”.  She then tells me, “Did you look between the seats?”  I told her “Yes I did.”  She then says “What about between the door and the seat? She then tells me, “Let me close the teller door so you can open your door to look there.”  I do that but find no pen cap.  By this time I am thinking, this must be her favorite pen because why else would she have me keep looking for it. She then says, “Did you look on the floorboard?”  My next thought is I’ll pay her for the whole pen if she will just make my deposit and let me go.  She then says, “Why don’t you pull up into the parking lot and open both doors and look for it?”  I am now thinking she is taking a pen cap to the extreme.  She then tells me, “Why don’t I send you back your deposit and you can return later when you find it?  

It hit me then.  I turn to the window and tell her, “I lost the “Cap” to your pen.  She then says, “I thought you said you lost your Cash.”  Then she says, “I don’t care about the cap.”  Then we both start laughing.  She thought I lost my cash and I thought she knew I lost her pen cap. 

This is how miscommunication starts.  Have you ever had that happen?  This is an extreme example of miscommunication but it happens every day to each of us.  When you think about it, God communicates with us every day too.  How many times do we miss His communication and lose out on His blessing for us?  If we don’t make a conscious effort to listen for His voice we may miss the blessing of a lifetime.  Sometimes his communication comes in the form of a friend telling us something when God has sent the message.  Other times it is a complete stranger delivering the message and we miss it entirely. 

Don’t miss out on God’s communication.  It may come in a whisper, a song or even from a most unlikely source.  Take the time to listen for His voice.  Some of life’s greatest blessings are often missed because we fail to listen for His communication.    

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, sometimes I miss Your communication with me because I am moving too fast or not paying attention.  How many blessings have I missed in my lifetime because I didn’t take the time to listen and slow down?  Thank You for loving me enough to keep trying to communicate with me.  I want to be a better listener for Your voice.  Help me to keep my focus on You so that I won’t miss the blessings you have in store for me.  

Scripture: The Parable of the Sower


And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Luke 8:4-8


The Parable of the Sower Explained



“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. Luke 8:11-15

No comments:

Post a Comment