CONVERSING WITH GOD

"If you seek Him, He will be found by you;... I Chr. 28:96

      While reading the Bible I discovered that many people talked to God and He talked with them begining with Adam and Eve.  That intrigued me.

      About six months after I became a Christian I began attending a Women's Aglow Bible study.  After several sessions, I noted that some of the ladies made statements such as: The Lord told me, or, God said such and such to me.

      I was puzzled about this until, finally, on a particular day when I returned home from class I stomped into the house and shouted, "God, How come You never talk to me?"  I sat down on the sofa in disgust, closing my eyes.  Suddenly, a loud voice which I can only describe as thunder and water combined called my name, "L-E-N-O-R-E"!!!  I leaped off the sofa, bumping my shins on the coffee table, "Ouch, ouch!  O-o-o-h, God, was that you? You scared me" I stammered.  Still shaking, I sat back down on the sofa, thinking, maybe I'd better wait for that 'still small voice', like the way the Lord spoke to Eligh in a gentle whisper on the mountain as recorded in the Bible, I Kings 19:12

      That was the first and only time I heard God speak to me in a audible voice.  However, I was not deterred in my pursuit of conversing with God.  Next, I decided I'd wait until I was lying quietly in bed.  After settling in for the night, I thought, now I'll ask God to speak to me in a whisper.  Just then the stillness was disrupted by my husband R.J. 's loud snoring.  I gave him a jab in the ribs with my elbow and he rolled over on his side and all was quiet again.  I said, "Now you can speak to me, Lord."  "Be still and know that I am God", I heard, not audible, but clearly.  I knew it was God speaking that scripture verse to me.

      "Well,  God, after all this preperation to hear You, are you telling me to shut up?"  I was a little put out.  That was the beginning of my conversations with God.

      Some time later, during a rather scary California earthquake, I was trying to walk out of the bathroom and nearly fell down because the floor kept moving sideways.  In my fright I cried, "Oh, God, what are You doing?"  Distinctly I heard the Lord say, "Don't be frightened, my child. I want you to keep the channel between you and Me clear.  Come before me each morning for instruction.  Be courageous."  The floor stopped moving and I calmed down and replied, "Yes, Lord, I will listen for Your instruction each morning."

      My relationship with the Lord grew stronger, and I relied on Him more and more to guide me after that memorable night.  It is now quite a natural thing for me to to talk to God and wait for Him to answer me.  Most mornings, I await His instruction before starting my day.  I have found that if I spend quiet time with God before the day's activities pull me this way and that, I can keep focused on my goals.  God wants to hear from us anytime--day or night, whether singing, praying, or just sitting in his presence.  He is our loving Father.