You Can't Learn to Swim While Drowning

 

If you see a person drowning it would NOT be the time to teach them to swim. Can you imagine yelling to this man “just let the water get on your face first, close your mouth, close your eyes so they don’t sting, try floating on your back, kick your feet, are you familiar with the dog paddle??”

Obviously none of these suggestions would be helpful to this drowning person. Why?

The same theory applies to our walk with God. Yeshua/Jesus tells us in the Bible:

”My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” 

 John 10:27 

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice."

Hebrews 3:7

The first question I pose to you is, do you know God’s voice? 

If not, how can you follow Him if your not sure it’s Him speaking to you?

This may sound so elementary and not have much impact on you while you’re reading this jewel safely from your home or office, but what if you were “drowning?”

What if you were in a place in your walk that you HAD to know God was speaking to you and you HAD to know what He was saying!

It may be to late to ask your pastor or friends how to know His voice

If you call for a help line and I give you some scriptures to look up or send you a video teaching on the voice of God it will be as helpful to you as our swimming suggestions to the drowning man.

Like anything else in life you get better at it with practice. God usually starts small, He did with me. He may tell you to turn right instead of left, or talk to the person next to you.  He may later ask you to give money to a certain individual or offer to pray for someone when your not in a church setting.

There are multiple lessons.  First you have to believe He talks to you, then you have to be listening for Him. If God finds you faithful to the first part and obedient to the task He will begin to ask you things that will take a little more faith.

Example:

Years ago I knew the Lord was telling me to move to Tennessee. As you can imagine it was a big step for me moving alone to a state where I didn’t know anyone.  I had to know God’s voice and have faith is in His provision to take such a huge leap. I prayed for Him to give me a specific verse I could hold onto when I felt like I was drowning. He gave me

Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you , saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” when you turn to the right or when you  turn to the left.

I can’t tell you how many times that verse was like a life preserver being tossed to me.

I keep a framed picture of the verse in my living room to remind me of God's faithfulness during a very scary time. It's a stone alter that serves as a memorial that proves nothing is too difficult for my God. I do hear His voice and He gives me clear instructions on what to do next. Turn to the left or turn to the right.

My youngest daughter is having her first child this summer and there are some decisions she needs to make that will effect her and her sweet baby.  Each decision carries it's own uncertainty which also holds an element of fear. She and her husband will need to stay in an attitude of prayer so they can feel peace with the decision.

But if they don't know God's voice they won't know which way He is leading them. I'm thankful they have both been taking "hearing lessons" for quite some time and won't have to wait for the day of the birth to have to make a last minute decision that will impact three lives.

I hope this jewel encourages you to start your lessons before you find yourself in need of a life preserver.  You may drown when safety was just an answer away.

 

Who's your dance partner?

People are often surprised with all the God stories I share with them. I am often surprised that people don’t have more of their own. It’s not like I’m some super Christian or live a more Godly life than others, as you well know if you are regular Gena’s Jewels reader. I have come to realize the only difference is I recognize them more. I see myself in a daily relationship with the Lord.

I spent the weekend with a friend and I asked her about her relationship with her husband, what she thought was the reason they have stayed together for so many years and continue to like each other. Her response was beautiful. She said she believes each relationship writes its own song, and then you dance to it. 

She said every song is different you can’t give your song to someone else, everyone has their own.

I started thinking about what she said, what were the words to the song? I realized the words were the things that are important to each person, what makes each person tick.

What could wound and what could make stronger, the gauge to picking your battles, these things are the lyrics to the song. Then you create a dance that will move to these words. Get your own rhythm to your dance that allows you to move as one. I thought of ball room dancing and how the couples just seem to float across the floor as one. What a beautiful picture this made in my mind.

The same theory is applied to your walk with the Lord. It’s about dancing with Him through this journey we call life. You have to recognize Him as your partner and how He is involved in writing your song. 

It doesn’t always have to be big things, as in any relationship it’s the day to day life that keeps it going. It made me think that the lyrics to the song are the events that happen in your life, including the battles, and the chorus would be the good times including the praises you give to God for getting you through the battles. 

The Bible says in 2Timothy 2:8a so do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord.

That’s really what it all comes down to, not being ashamed or embarrassed to talk about God, how He’s alive and living with you. Why is it that we are more afraid of what someone may think of us than we are in not giving God the credit that’s due Him? You wouldn’t tell people how happily married you are and never give kudos to your spouse would you?

Psalm 92:1a it is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name O most High. 

It takes music/praise or testimonies to have a song, then in Psalm 119:24 "testimonies also are my delight." 

It’s not just God delighting in my testimonies but me delighting in His. Like I said it takes two people to do the dance. The Holy Spirit has a sense of humor, He just said to me “unless it’s break dancing”

 I thought even the name “break dancing” doesn’t sound as romantic. We tend to “break” when we are trying to do this dance alone. 

The ball room dancer doesn’t look quite as graceful holding her hands out with no partner. OK I got off track that’s not hard for me to do, as I was saying.

I have witnessed the Lord do little things like have someone give me something I just mentioned to God I needed to seeing God heal me of a blood clot on my lung. Everything you go through is part of your song, your testimony.

I was doing a Bible study one time and the instructor had us make a time line of our life.

I remembered not wanting to do that exercise because I didn’t have many good memories of my past but what she had us do next was see where God was at each point.

When I really remembered each situation, I also remembered people God put in my life at that same time that were so good to me. Now when I think of my past I have more good memories than bad and it’s the same past. I’m just dancing with a new partner. 

I pray you too will take time each day to see if you’re “break” dancing, tying to live this life by yourself or if you’re allowing the Lord to be your dance partner.

Like my friend said each dance is personal and no one can do the same dance. Your walk is a personal one with the Lord so I hope you give testimony about God in your life and delight in each other. Write your own song and then “I hope you dance.”