DADDY, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!
- Key Verse
"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning, I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." (Psalm 5:3)
READ THE CHAPTER
Central Truth
Expectation. Is that alive in you today? The creator God longs to hear from you and shock you with His desire to interact with you.
Reflections
The all powerful God that exists in eternity past and future, God the Father that spoke the galaxies and electrons into existence, the Holy One that invented taste buds, the Venus fly trap, and sex, listens to us when we call to Him. He compassionately focuses on what we have to say when we talk to Him. Doesn't that amaze you? And even more amazing, He longs to hear from us and respond. I'm not sure I'll ever understand that.Tonight during the UT bowl game, I am confident I'll be brought out of the "3rd and long trance" by these loud words from my kids' lips, "Daddy, are you listening to me?!". My 4-year-old likely will have a spontaneously made up four minute knock-knock joke to tell me and my son will expectantly ask if I can wrestle with him. Or maybe they will complain (complete with tears and eye rolling) that we are watching football and request to put in their new Alvin and the Chipmunks DVD.
I am such a limited dad that even just a little college football can easily distract me from my kids' voices (but of course, never my wife's :). But God listens to us; He doesn't get distracted. No metaphor about God works perfectly, but this passage gives me a mental image of my pajama clad kids on the sidelines of the National Championship game, tugging on UT Coach Mack Brown's pants leg late in the 4th quarter, asking if he would watch their DVD and listen to their jokes while they tickle and wrestle. They look at him with childlike, naive expectations. Then Coach Mack grins and says to them, "I'd love to; I thought you'd never ask. I love your jokes. Want to play in the big game?" I think that's how God responds to us.
"...O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." When was the last time you lived a day in child-like expectation that God would hear your voice and respond? Sounds pretty fun.
Discussion Questions
1. As the global outreach pastor, I deal often with culture shock or what could be called expectations shock. Culture shock occurs when we enter common everyday situations in a new culture expecting normalcy and are shocked to find a very different system, an unfathomable outcome, or a completely new pattern of thinking. It is almost impossible to live without expectations. What shapes your expectations for how life and God will work?
2. If you were to live with the expectations mentioned in verse 3, what kind of culture shock might occur for you as you move through your day?
3. In the midst of culture shock, people often run to familiar "idols" that comfort them, help them feel in control, and return a sense of predictability to life. What idols do you have in life that you run to when God shocks you and does things outside your expectations?
randy
January 7, 2010 06:05 AM
thank you Chris for bringing us this devo - such a great way to start the day, especially as this Longhorn fan tries to not let this game become my "everything," after all, only a football game... following the Sunday message, think I will take up Ping Pong! Keeping my thoughts and eyes fixed on Jesus and the eternal perspective as I live this day for that day!!! Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Psalm 5 - "Give Ear To My Words" by The Maranatha Singers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y_R7DnMc2I
Chip Smith
January 7, 2010 06:19 AM
Chris: This is a very thought provoking log you entered for today's journey. Your picture of Coach Mack stopping in fourth quarter of the National Championship to play with your kids is a great comparison, although minute compared to God's concerns, of God's attention to our prayer time with Him. Also, question number three rocked my world this morning. My dad, who has gone to be with the LORD, talked to me about having a child-like faith referring to when the children came to Jesus (Mt. 19:13-15). Thanks for reminding me what it was like to have a child-like faith in Jesus and to take time to play again in God’s Kingdom. Have a great day and enjoy the game (and your kids) tonight :-)
John Rondeau
January 7, 2010 06:48 AM
Chris, many mornings I lay my requests before God, but leave out the last part of the verse. I don’t “wait in expectation.” I go through the day acting like God didn’t hear or care about my request. I take control and miss out on the blessing of watching God work and the peace that comes with it. I need to patiently wait in expectation of Him to work in His time. Thanks for the devo.
KATHY F
January 7, 2010 07:31 AM
Chris, great comparison. I'm thankful God is never too busy for me. Now I need to ask myself, am I as accessible to Him?
Bob King
January 7, 2010 07:35 AM
I love the visual of the kids with coach..."want to play in the big game"? That can be a daily opportunity for us!
Katy Copeland
January 7, 2010 07:55 AM
You are so right Chris. God does love us better than we love each other. Even the ones we love the most. I was just this morning praying about my attitude toward my four year old. I get bored playing fairies and dread her asking me to do it again, but I know she'll only be this little for a little while. However, on another note, it's not every year that Texas makes it all the way to the big game! I'd like to inspire all the mom's out there with young children to spend the day hyping the game to your children. Let them put chips and salsa in bowls, and cold drinks in a cooler in the den in front of the tv. Tell them they are giving the game to their daddy as a special treat. It's good for them to take an interest in other people's interests. My Craig-er gives so much to us all the time, I don't want him to feel bad for taking a couple of hours to enjoy the game. (That's Alabama's job. Ouch, this ones going to be tough. Hook 'em horns.)
Nancy
January 7, 2010 08:21 AM
As I sit here REALLY watching Alvin and the Chipmunks (how did you know?), I am hit between the eyes that I have very low expectations for today. Maybe it is the weather or the normalcy of routine, but I lack the divine, the vision to love others and God thru my most mundane actions and words. My prayer is to love like that today, and to have HUGE expectations for today. How about inviting lots of people for the UT game? That would definitely be beyond me... :)
Amy Baker
January 7, 2010 09:34 AM
I love the illustration. Our heavenly daddy never too busy for us...always wanting to communicate with us. It reminds me of Romans 2:4 - his kindness leads us to repentance. He is so good.
Melanie
January 7, 2010 10:45 AM
This passage is amazing and you brought it to life in a very beautiful way -- thanks Chris. I agree with you -- I'm amazed that God cares so much about what I have to say when I talk to him, and He anxiously waits to hear from me. What a great God!!
Bruce Eric Anderson
January 7, 2010 10:51 AM
Chris, you don't know how much I appreciated waking up to this devotional today. While I agree with you on verse 3 being the key verse, as I sit here in Las Vegas the remainder of the chapter also was a great encouragement to me as all around me there is arrogance, deceitfulness, evil, and the celebration of same. In this environment, I find verse 8 to be particularly fruitful, with a sprinkling of verse 11, "let all those who take refuge in you be glad." I look at today with great expectation of what God's going to do through me. It may not be a dramatic thing -- it just may be a quiet observation by someone of my following Him and being obedient that He uses to His glory. Thanks, Chris.
Ann LaLanne
January 7, 2010 11:04 AM
I loved your devo today! Great illustrations!! The visual of Mack Brown during the 4th quarter stopping to spend quality time with a precious child is an unreal expectation...after all, he is just human. In fact, I feel as though I am in the 4th quarter (my daughter is in her senior year) and we have to make time to spend together. The awesome part is that we ACTUALLY do have a father in heaven that does this for us every single time we ask. What an awesome "daddy" we serve
Sam Shoquist
January 7, 2010 07:32 PM
Chris, Loved your illustration today. What an awesome opportunity we have every single morning to express our every care, concern and request to our Heavenly Father and to know He listens. Appreciate you and all you do for Him.
Jaime
January 7, 2010 09:49 PM
Chris, thank you for sharing your wisdom with us. You are truly annointed by the Holy Spirit. Your reflections were so powerful and so timely for me, personally. I needed these reminders, today in particular. God bless you.
Linda Jean Butler
January 8, 2010 06:20 PM
Thanks Chris. I am so glad our daddy loves us that much and He cares about all our concerns. I love your enthusiasm for the mission field and miss seeing you in action.
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