Tag: submit

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Listening Then Submitting

Isaiah 55:2 (ESV)—Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.

My husband and I sat on old theater seats in the back of a listening room in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood. When the bluegrass band stepped onto the stage and the leader spoke into the microphone, a hush settled over the room. After introductions, they began to play.

My body responded to the rhythm. My head bopped; my toes tapped. I not only listened to the music but also allowed it to feed my spirit.

I think this feeling translates well to the verse for today. When we go into a listening room with God, he quenches our spiritual thirst with the rhythms of the Holy Spirit, the “rich food.”

To continue to partake in the rich food requires us to continue seeking his will and acting in obedience when he speaks. We first listen to God’s voice then submit to the rhythms of the Holy Spirit.

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Words of Affirmation: Wisdom

I sometimes become obsessed with the idea of writing a devotional based on a particular verse. My fingers fly over the keyboard for a minute or two before freezing, the well of words running dry all because I didn’t bother to inject wisdom into my writing. Instead, I tried to produce words to publish a post or to submit to a publisher.

Devotional writing is more than putting well-constructed sentences with a clear theme to the page. Discerning God’s Word through the use of commentaries and other resources helps us produce well-thought-out ideas. Our prayers during writing and before posting guide us to biblical connection and sureness. After publication, these thoughts speak to others and encourage further contemplation of God’s Word.

God has entrusted us with the power to wield words to spread his Word. This thought makes me want to put my words in his hands. How about you?

Ecclesiastes 9:17 (ESV)—The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.