In your righteousness, deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me and save me. Psalm 71
At Christmas, a popular song is The Drummer Boy which admittedly wasn’t a favourite of mine until I took the time to let it sink in. It was when I opened my heart to allow the happenings at the time, the people and God’s message I began to see a broader picture. The song is of a drummer boy who feels he has not much to offer Jesus but still he offers Jesus his humble gift of playing his drum. It eluded me, on the eve of Holy week, that this song should come to me along with the words that kept whispering from the Psalms incline your ear. Until I began to realize it is at this time God calls us into a deeper relationship with him. God was inviting me to listen more closely. As a wave can overtake us God’s love can flood our soul. Often times we want God to hear our prayers before we have a relationship with him.
This innocent child gave the purest gift of love and humility. In the same way we are to come before God and others, with the love of a child. We are called to be present in the moment to what God places in front of us. We are invited to be attentive with our whole being in all our senses. God is all around us and is present in all he places in our midst. He invites us to come listen and be led. At a faith workshop, I led a group and a lady said, I am old and have no talents or gifts like some people doing great things. Everyone went silent. My heart sank, silently I asked God to give me words of comfort I could offer her. I listened, these words from the past came to me, If you should die today have you loved enough? The greatest gift is love for God and others. With this I felt God guiding my words and I shared and we began to share these beliefs among our group and we talked about the lady’s beautiful life as a mother and grandmother and the great love in which she served family and faith, things changed at that moment. They changed because we allowed God’s voice to come alive in our group. St. Mother Theresa once said, We are but a pencil in the hand of God.
How attentive might we be to listening with an open heart if it was possible to unearth many truths to help us and identify us. We are given one mouth and blessed with two ears. As we grow and mature we are encouraged to be attentive and speak only to uplift. Often with many words there is tendency for messages to dwindle. Oh that we might master the art of following God’s will so as to serve to the greatest need of mankind. Lost directions can befall us all, what has served me best is to listen and follow God’s truth, to serve others, edify another and praise God. In the midst of this pandemic affecting us all in different ways, confined to our homes, away from the busyness, might this be the time to sit silently, eyes closed and be wholly in God’s presence? Might this be the time to open the bible and allow God to speak to your heart?
Gracious loving Lord, draw closer to us. Incline our ear that we may hear your voice in the darkness, your voice in the uncertainty, your voice in the joy we might offer others as you would have us. Incline our ear to do your will and allow us to reap in the joy of your love. Mother Mary pray for us. Amen.
Peace,
Claudia