Nudges

I've just come inside after being locked out for an hour or so. The reason? Well on the surface, it's because I went to bring the bins in, and stupidly shut the back door behind me. But I have a feeling the deeper meaning is because I haven't been spending enough time with God.

Thankfully we have a phone in the garage, so I called Dad to see when he would be home. After learning he would be at least another 45 minutes, I promptly picked up the broom and swept out our entire double car garage, and then the walkway and deck at the front of the house. I then proceeded to go and find Macy, and took her and a toy out on the front lawn to play for a while. I was getting a bit restless at this point, as I had (huge) plans involving drying the dishes and vacuuming the loungeroom!

Macy wasn't terribly interested in playing with me, which I understand, because she had a whole new area to roam and sniff and pee on. And so I sat there. Wondering what I could do next. Rake up the front lawn? Pointless, it would be full of leaves again by tomorrow morning. Wash Noofy? All the cleaning stuff was inside. Go for a walk? I was wearing Mum's 2 sizes too big shoes. As I went through random things I could do, I felt a gentle nudging to pray. I haven't been doing too good in that area lately (isn't it funny that we call it just a part of our lives? Shouldn't it be our entire lives; being in constant communication with the Lord?). I've always struggled with prayer, and for the past year or so have been writing my prayers in journals, which HAS been helping. But I've sucked at it lately, plain and simple really.

And so I told myself (or God?) that Dad would be home soon, and there would be no point, and I had to watch Macy so I couldn't concentrate and lededadeda. And God just said to me, "I will hold Dad up until you spend some time with me". I pushed it asdide, thinking..."Dude your brain is getting inventive Beth". But I just kept hearing it, and I kept gettig nudged, and eventually I couldn't ignore it any longer. And so I spent 15ish minutes bringing random things to God, and just sitting in His presence, praising and thanking and asking and listening.

After a while, I felt as if that was enough...and sure enough, I hear Dad's car coming down the road.

I guess this whole little story isn't just about responding to God's nudges. It also tells me that when I sit still for a little while, that's when God will nudge me, and talk to me. Sometimes I think we worry too much about our prayers. And while it is important, no denying that, perhaps it's just as, or even more important to purposefully sit still, and listen for God's voice. I don't want Him to be constantly trying to talk to me and work in my life, but I'm too busy with unimportant little things to notice.

It took me locking myself out of the house this time for me to notice him. I don't want there to be a next time.

Thank You for how You teach us