It’s VBS week!!! We have 120 preschool- and elementary-aged children going through the halls of River Road this week learning about Jesus our Good Shepherd who leads, comforts, cares, loves, and provides. They are hearing stories about Jesus calling the disciples, about Jesus healing a woman and a girl, and about the Good Shepherd going after the sheep that was lost. They are bringing supplies for our ministry to CARITAS. Later in the week, we will collect an offering to support Watering Malawi. Watering Malawi works with local non-governmental organizations, schools, local leaders, village and garden clubs to accomplish specific projects related to clean water and irrigation and sanitation in Malawi. (Find out more here).  It has been a great week so far.

“God is Speaking” is one of the songs the children have been learning this week. It begins with, “The sheep are listening.” How do we listen for God? There are several ways God speaks. God speaks through God’s word. “Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear my word” Isaiah 28:23. God speaks through other people. When we hear wisdom and truth from another person, that’s God. When we pray, we can hear God. Sometimes it’s a loud voice ringing truth, such as the one Paul experienced on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). Sometimes God is in the silence, as Elijah experienced in 1 Kings 19. God can be heard through song. Whenever my husband sings “The Lord’s Prayer” or “The Holy City,” I hear God speaking. God is speaking all sorts of ways. But we need to be ready to listen. Ready to listen and ready to act on what God would have us do. My friend shared a quote with me the other day: “Faith can move mountains, but don’t be surprised if God hands you a shovel.” Be ready to listen and ready to move for what God would have you do.

God is speaking. Are you listening?