Lent: Listening to God...

God is indeed very very good to me.  I am thinking of the days I was a Theological student in Aizawl Theological College from age 18-23.  It was the time of wilderness in my life.  As I mentioned a few days ago, I had many many struggles all of which God helped me over come.  He even brought me out (as did He of the Israelites from Egypt) to a far better place in life.  In my desperation I called upon God's name and He always came to help me.  God was never even late to come to my aid.  He rescued me from many dangers and He filled my mouth with His blessings.  I came out of it as the first ever female lecturer at Tahan Theological College Myanmar.  As time went on I became the first female ordained minister of words and sacraments in the history of Mizo Presbyterian Church.  


But do I remember to always walk on God's way? 
Do I listen to God always? Unfortunately my answers are only " Yes and yes, only sometimes".  Like the Israelites I often forget how God has been The Lord my God whose love for me endures forever.  God is saying to me today, "Hmingi, my child, if you but only listen to me....".  At times I find that it is a lot easier to listen to all other voices but God's.  What do I need to do to train my self to listen to God's voice.  The answer I have for me is - quietness or emptiness.  I need to still my self.  When I don't talk I am even noisier inside with all kinds of thoughts.  I can get a bit louder in my head while I am not talking out loud.  I must learn to practice silent with emptiness of my mind so that I may hear God's voice.  Listening is a very fine art difficult to master without repeat practice.  But with practice, it is the most peaceful way to live.  When I quiet my self completely and empty my mind, God's peace comes in and then God's presence.  


I remember all those silent retreats the school year started with at Bishop's College in Calcutta where I studied.  The first day of school year we would have Principal's/president's tea followed by 3 days of silent retreat.  I used to think it was awful because I got noisier in my head when I was not talking.  I would roam the campus looking for someone else to break silence to talk with me.  I never had such luck. Then I had to learn to silence my self. Then I learned to listen to the silence and then I hear God's voice with my heart not my ears.  Peace and emptiness making room for all that was to be taught to me by not only the professors but all that will cross path with me for the rest of the school year. Wow! that was amazing.


Listen to me God said to the people of Israel in Psalm 81.  He is saying the same thing to you and to me today, "....If you would but listen to me."  During this Lenten season I invite you all to learn to empty your minds, quiet your hearts and LISTEN to God.


Prayer: Gentle and powerful God, thank you for speaking to us still.  Teach us how to listen so that we may hear your voice, learn to walk in your ways and be satisfied by your love. In Jesus' name. Amen.


Psalm 81

God’s Appeal to Stubborn Israel

To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph.
¹ Sing aloud to God our strength;
   shout for joy to the God of Jacob.
² Raise a song, sound the tambourine,
   the sweet lyre with the harp.
³ Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
   at the full moon, on our festal day.
⁴ For it is a statute for Israel,
   an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
⁵ He made it a decree in Joseph,
   when he went out over^* the land of Egypt. 

I hear a voice I had not known:
⁶ ‘I relieved your^* shoulder of the burden;
   your^* hands were freed from the basket.
⁷ In distress you called, and I rescued you;
   I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
   I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
          Selah
⁸ Hear, O my people, while I admonish you;
   O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
⁹ There shall be no strange god among you;
   you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
¹⁰ I am the Lord your God,
   who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
   Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. 

¹¹ ‘But my people did not listen to my voice;
   Israel would not submit to me.
¹² So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
   to follow their own counsels.
¹³ O that my people would listen to me,
   that Israel would walk in my ways!
¹⁴ Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,
   and turn my hand against their foes.
¹⁵ Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,
   and their doom would last for ever.
¹⁶ I would feed you^* with the finest of the wheat,
   and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.’

Also: Genesis 24:1-27 2 John 1-13



A picture of my favorite Myanmar Soup for fun.