Who are you behind your name? What do people learn about you shortly after an introduction?

If we attend a certain college, school, church or follow a certain sports club or organization its easy to build our identity on being a follower or member of one of the above. We use phrases like “ I’m a Man United supporter”, a “ XYZ School boy”, a “Harvard alumni” or whatever place or organization’s banner we place our name under. What we like and admire is not who we are!

None of this is wrong in any way and it unites us with like minded people who share the same passions or values.

When we make this entirely who we are though, it strips us of our individual identities that should not be based on what we like or admire but on what God put in us from the moment of conception. Jeremiah 1:5 says “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

God already decided before we showed up who and what we were to be. We however like to decide for ourselves what we are, what we will become and even who we feel like being depending on the day and the mood.

In Isaiah 64:8 we see that God moulded us according to His plan-“You, Lord, are our Father. We are nothing but clay, but you are the potter who moulded us.”

To be loyal to a place, team or group is nice and makes us feel a part of something. But it’s not who we are. A culture is not a personal identity. It’s rather something we resonate with or strive to be recognised as.

Being a part of a big church is something I’ve enjoyed for almost 21 years now. We are members of a big family that we gather with each Sunday. When one rejoices, we all rejoice. When one mourns, we all mourn. We belong to a large, imperfect but beautiful family of God followers.

If I went to church as a member but didn’t know God, it would be a pointless event. I go because of Him and because I first met Him and then joined this body of believers. If you go to a place of worship simply because of the people there I’m afraid you’ve missed the point. The object of worship is a daily one-on-one connection and not a once-a- week group meeting!

My identity is first one who follows Christ and then a member of my church -not the other way around! Church is one day in 7, relationship is 7 days out of 7.

A football team is not your identity. Neither is your place of education, worship, qualifications or even your nationality. So again I ask “Who are you?” Take time to find out what lies beneath the many coats you wear. Look for the hidden treasures inside your heart. Find what it is that makes you a unique individual.

When your identity is based on who you were created to be, it won’t matter when your favourite team loses a game because it won’t make you a loser. When you don’t get a job you hoped for based on the impressive names on your CV, you won’t be a failure and when you miss a week of church, it won’t make you a heathen!

You are a magnificent creation, created with good things in mind, great gifts and talents that cannot be stripped from you and do not depend on any outside influence! You-beautiful and unique YOU-were created to change your corner of the world with only the banner of “GODS SPECIAL ONE” over your head!

We all have a different perspective about the here and now.

For some it’s the struggle of a daily existence of pain and suffering, dire poverty or a relentless illness.

For others it’s the hope of the next good thing – what I will afford next year, the job I’ll have in 6 months, finishing my studies in the foreseeable future or an upcoming event that we look forward to.

For some there’s a sense of satisfaction or full enjoyment of the here and now- how much they have, fame and popularity, possessions, influence and admirers.

For some others it’s the dread of another day, another week and another year of a difficult situation, marriage or job- the endless daily battle they struggle to survive.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says we have been created with eternity in our hearts, an understanding that there is more.

There are those who look forward to the ‘more’ with a hope in their hearts and there are those who choose to ignore that this what we know right now is not the be all and end all. What’s here and now seems pretty good so why mess with it or question its longevity?

I remember when we were kids we used to love blowing soap bubbles outside and then trying to catch them. Inevitably these pretty bubbles popped as we touched them or even before. What was perfect and shiny became nothing before our eyes. Such are the beautiful shiny things in life – lovely and perfect until in the blink of an eye they are gone.

What lies beyond the stuff we carry in our perfect or severely flawed lives?

That for me is where the hope of an eternity is a reminder of how temporary our lives here are.

In the well known song by Queen”Who wants to live forever “ there’s a line that says “What is this thing that builds our dreams, yet slips away from us?”

I was reminded a few days ago of the suffering my mom endured for the past 7 years.

For those 7 years it seemed like an eternity. Day in and day out she got weaker and more confused. Her physical and mental condition got so bad that that’s what we focused on. We forgot the beautiful and vibrant woman she was before and wondered if this would ever end.

And then suddenly it was over and we could reminisce about the good old days before Illness took over. What seemed like a lifetime of bad health at the time now seems like a blink of an eye. Her focus was always on her eternity. She didn’t live in terrible fear of what would happen here but looked past the worst possibilities to a glorious future that was promised to her.

Some worship the god of ME and some look to the God of forever.

Whoever is on your altar, tomorrow is a sure thing. Make sure your worship is wisely directed. After all your future depends on it!

“I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory that is about to be unveiled within us. All creation longs for freedom from its slavery to decay and to experience with us the wonderful freedom coming to God’s children. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love, So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love.”

Romans 8:18, 21, 35, 38 TPT

“He has set the right time for everything. He has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 GNT

How often do we fail to thoroughly enjoy moments that we have been given?

I find myself more often than I’d like to admit being in a moment whilst thinking of what lies ahead. That moment will pass so quickly and we cannot go back there or revisit beautiful ones that we’ve wasted. There have been many overdue but rushed catch-up coffee dates with dear friends or date nights with my husband that end way too early because of a TV program we don’t want to miss or a item on our to-do list that we want to tick off.

Moments with my children have sometimes ended in irritation and disappointment because of unmet expectations. In each of these times the common thread has been me not embracing and fully enjoying the moment because of any kind of ‘something’. Whatever that ‘something’ is, I’ve allowed it to steal the joy and pleasure of the moment. I’ve been thinking today of the many occasions when I have been given a space of an hour or even a couple of minutes where God has called me away from the madness of life. Instead of breathing in His presence and being still in that moment, I look for my phone, think of a transaction I need to do on my laptop, a call I need to make or a grocery item I still need to get. My tires need to be pumped, my husband needs me to attend to something, my daughters are calling – anything and everything but the stillness and the beauty of that moment.

What would it take for me to lay down my devices, my to-do list, my pressing need to be busy and just be? The presence of God is a sweet and heady place to be and being called there by Him is an absolute privilege.

My prayer today is that you and I will heed that call and leave everything else outside the door as we enter in and close the door behind us for a short while and enjoy a perfect moment of refreshing, anointing and a guaranteed filling of our spiritual, emotional and mental tanks.

“God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭MSG‬‬

I’ve often listened to people, myself included, complain about the lack of responsibility, ability or wisdom exercised by others around them but in the very next moment step in and do whatever they can for that very same person. The need to compensate and do everything for a person can very easily lead us to a Saviour complex where we make ourselves believe that in order for others to function on any level they need us around! Its good to bear in mind that we do not grow smaller when those around us grow bigger.

The more I think about it, the more I realise that this is a real stronghold of pride where we actually believe that the world around us would fail dismally at all they do if we were not there to shelter them,enable them and treat them as completely helpless. The truth here is that its our own insecurities that refuse to allow another person to grow just in case they overtake us and don’t need us anymore.

What we complain about is the very thing that feeds our ego and keeps people small in our shade. Its uncomfortable to allow people to actually do for themselves what we’ve always done for them but its so empowering for them.

If we step back and sometimes allow discomfort we might see beautiful growth in people who really don’t need to be in our shade any longer. When we keep on compensating and enabling, we see little Bonsai trees where towering oaks should be standing . Accepting entitlement, always wanting to be the hero in everybody’s stories just keeps us feeling big and important while keeping those around us small and inferior. They grow comfortable being insignificant and we feel more and more needed. Enabling is the enemy of empowerment.

Keeping someone small to make me feel big is just that- I feel big but to really be big I have to allow others to grow and cheer them on even when it means causing a bit of discomfort.

A personal trainer tells you to do exercises that sometimes hurt and make you feel uncomfortable where the muscle has been stretched to its full capacity but over time that muscle grows and becomes strong . If the personal trainer were to keep us comfortable and even do the exercises for us, we would stay small and it would be a waste of time and money to go to the gym and pay the trainer.

It’s the stretch and flex that grows us into what God sees we can be-tall oaks planted and flourishing for His glory, not our own. Seeing the many strong trees around us that we have helped to grow is a lot more satisfying than seeing small tree stumps that we’ve cut down so they wouldn’t overshadow us.

My prayer today is that we would be builders of great men and women and not cultivators of small and helpless people.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:10

 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

These are the “grumpers,” the bellyachers, grabbing for the biggest piece of the pie, talking big, saying anything they think will get them ahead. Jude 1:16 (Message)

“When pride comes [boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance], then come dishonor and shame, But with the humble [the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God] there is wisdom and soundness of mind.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭2‬ ‭AMP‬‬

This morning as I struggle with the full surrender of a situation that is weighing heavily on my heart, I have felt all sorts of emotions ranging from a frantic hopelessness to a guilt that makes me squirm for not trusting as I’ve always told people to do. The “just trust God” pill that that we so often prescribe for everybody else is just not going down my throat!

As I sat in prayer this morning I realised that there are various levels of surrender. They are stages that some of us will go through while others manage to just hit the first stage and live out the wait in full peace.

I wish that I could say I was one of these Stage A people but as I’m not, let me share the understanding I received. Perhaps you will see yourself in one of these stages as I have and be gentler on yourself as I am trying to be!

The first is the A-game stage and is one of Absolute surrender. As I understand it, this is the beautiful ability of taking a situation to God, laying it down before Him, turning around and walking away in full peace and knowledge that He really is our Jehovah Jireh and that He will provide in this and every other need.

I remember seeing this ability to fully surrender in my dear mother. When I was a teenager and young adult, I used to enjoy going out – often to some rather choice places that nobody in their right adult mind would go to! In those days, with no cell phones or tracking apps, my mother would surrender me completely into God’s hands and then sleep like a bear in hibernation! I used to wake her when I got home but she never really woke up enough to register. It was only the next morning that she would know that I had arrived home safely the night before. She trusted God to take care of me and He just did- no questions asked.

The second stage of surrender is the one where we hand our “problem/ issue ” to God as one would hand over a box. As He reaches out to take it we still curl our fingers around our parcel not quite sure if He is able to make a way where we have been unsuccessful. There is a level of hope mixed with a distinct measure of doubt. I think this is where I am right now-longing to hand this burden over but at the same time nervous to lose my control which has actually got me nowhere! Here, if we do actually let go it’s one finger at a time that peels itself reluctantly from our box!

The third stage is that of stretching out our box of stuff but still holding tightly onto it. Our knuckles are white with the force of our grip and the chances of us letting go is zero.

I used to believe that this stage is where God would simply say “it’s either me or you” but today I realised that He’s a lot more gracious than that. I believe that this is when He gently places his hands over ours and agrees to carry the box with us until such time that we loosen our grip little by little and eventually allow Him to carry it alone. This is when breakthrough happens! We sometimes have to GROW in faith and trust. I really believe that God is gracious and kind enough to not take offence at our lack of faith but rather uses the opportunity to teach us and show us that He really is the faithful Father that He claims to be.

I’ve heard people say that faith is like a muscle that needs to be trained in order for it to grow. Today I realised that I am in that training process and as much as I wish my faith was fully mature and that I was able to always be in Stage A, I am not and yet He is still able.

The words of the song ‘He is more than able’ (see link below) by Elevation Worship (featuring Chandler a Moore and Tiffany Hudson) are what play in my mind today as I stretch out my arms and agree to carry this load with my God for a little while-just until my arms get tired.

https://youtu.be/dQ1xxoP7NJk?feature=shared

“Pour out all your worries and stress upon him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:7 TPT

https://bible.com/bible/1849/1pe.5.7.TPT

“Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’”

Isaiah 41:10 AMP

https://bible.com/bible/1588/isa.41.10.AMP

“Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours]. And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7, 19 AMP

https://bible.com/bible/1588/php.4.6-19.AMP

“When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. When you pass through fire, you will not be burned; the hard trials that come will not hurt you.”

Isaiah 43:2 GNT

“But his answer was: “My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.” I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ’s power over me.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬ ‭GNT‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/68/isa.43.2.GNT

Photo by Michael Belk

I recently watched a video of a dog getting a hair cut and his entire coat came off in one piece shaped exactly like him tail and all.

This made me think of the coats we wear that can fit perfectly, even being cut in our exact shape but are coats that we were never intended to wear. They may look good but in summer they are too hot and in winter they’re not warm enough. The fabric is itchy and the buttons don’t close properly. Sound familiar ?

When we allow the Holy scissors to give us a much needed cut we get a whole new wardrobe that we never have to take off. Imagine an outfit that is perfect for all seasons, self cleaning and always in fashion- this is what we get to wear when God Himself clothes us.

The colours and textures are flattering, soft to the touch, comfortable for all seasons from when the weather is miserable and hard to endure to when the sun shines and all is right with the world .

These garments are finely woven from love, joy, peace and kindness. The buttons are a beautiful shade of patience. Around the hemline is a row of goodness with a colorful thread of faithfulness and the collar is brightly decorated with self control.

When we put on the right shoes they match the peace in the coat. The belt we are given fastens around our waists with a buckle of truth which is bold and uncompromising.

When we wear our best garments we always feel more confident, capable and seen.

Ill fitting clothes, regardless of how familiar they are, will never bring out our best side as much as well tailored items crafted from exquisite hand woven fabrics do.

Why settle for the least when we have access to the very best? Contrary to common beliefs, the garments of faith are affordable and accessible to all. You get your very own brand new wardrobe- not a threadbare and badly fitted hand-me-down pile to save money!

Therefore clothe your selves today in strength and dignity, walking as one who is the head and not the tail, chin up and shoulders back demonstrating your quiet confidence and grace, wearing the beautiful clothing with a godly humility that your Heavenly Father has made just for you. Perfect fit, flattering colors and tailored to make you look and be your very best!

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Colossians 3:12 NIVUK

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

“I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.”

Isaiah 61:10 NLT

“Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints.” Psalm 116:15

My mom has been growing increasingly frail with metastatic Basal Cell Carcinomas as well as advanced dementia and at the moment weighs probably around 36kg.

As we await her imminent death I’m reminded of a few things:

Heaven is actually preparing for her arrival.

There is no rush because the time was set at her conception.

There is also no rush to get her an entry ticket because her salvation has guaranteed her place there.

There is an eagerness in the angelic hosts because the beloved of the Lord is coming home soon.

As one prepares in advance for a special occasion – flowers, food, decorations or when a loved one comes home after a long time away there are clean sheets on the bed, fresh towels in the bathroom, scented soaps and body lotions next to the basins and candles next to the bed.

There is a joyous anticipation of the persons arrival and preparations are meticulous.

So I imagine it to be in Heaven as the arrivals of the souls of Gods beloved are eagerly awaited with glorious expectation. I imagine the animated discussions amongst the angels tasked with various preparations.

What we see from our perspective is the weariness of sick and dying bodies down here and for us death is a final and very sad goodbye. In Heaven it is as final but it is a very joyous hello.

The words “ Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into your rest” are the sweetest words we will ever hear. As I watch my moms physical demise, it’s the promise of that grand welcome into her promised Eternity that strangely enough causes my heart to soar. I know that final breath is coming soon and it’s with a deep peace and hope that I am able to release her down here to fly free up there.

In 1 Corinthians 2:9 it says :

“God has prepared things for those who love him that no eye has seen, or ear has heard, or that haven’t crossed the mind of any human being”.

One really can only imagine…Right now all I can picture is my moms look of pure awe and delight as she enters into this final and beautiful resting place knowing that whatever she dreamed of cannot compare in any way to the reality before her.

I can only imagine

What it will be like

When I walk by Your side

I can only imagine

What my eyes would see

When Your face is before me

I can only imagine

Yeah

Surrounded by Your glory

What will my heart feel?

Will I dance for You Jesus

Or in awe of You be still?

Will I stand in Your presence

Or to my knees, will I fall?

Will I sing hallelujah?

Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

When that day comes

And I find myself

Standing in the Son

I can only imagine

When all I will do

Is forever, forever worship You

I can only imagine, yeah

I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory

What will my heart feel?

Will I dance for you Jesus

Or in awe of You be still?

Will I stand in your presence

Or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing hallelujah?

Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine, yeah

I can only imagine

(Words by MERCY ME)

“Because I am righteous, I will see you. When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭17‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We recently got to celebrate a huge victory in our family when my niece became the proud recipient of a much coveted Grammy award for a song that was borne out of a season of lack in her life.

In the very hard and long battle of infertility, while waiting for God to show Himself faithful to her hearts cry for a baby, she chose to write down her declarations. She was declaring that fear had no place in her future, sickness was not her story and death had no hold over her. She wrote down a song welcoming faith, peace, strength and love in the midst of experiencing the total opposite of these. She stood on what Gods’ word said over her and not what her feelings were saying. These emotions and declarations were what she chose in spite of what she was experiencing.

These words were turned into a song along with some very talented and well known musicians leading to a massive success and ultimately a Grammy award for Best Christian contemporary song.

What I realised when mulling over this amazing achievement was nothing less than astounding to me.

Firstly, as she declared Gods goodness in spite of her circumstances, He heard and came through for her in so many beautiful ways. I am delighted to tell you that when she went to the Grammy awards ceremony in LA, she was accompanied by her husband AND their perfect little 3 week old baby girl! Yes,the miracle child that they never gave up on! The promised gift of a loving Father.

The cherry on the top was the award that she returned home with. She got to stare infertility in the face and say “NOT TODAY”!

When King David went to war, God gave him success – not only the land that they were fighting for but the spoils of war- the plunder.

The definition of ‘spoils’ is as follows -‘ goods stolen or taken forcibly from a person or place.

In Nicole’s battle, she won the gift of a beautiful baby and the plunder was the Grammy. She literally took back her fertility, declared health and wholeness over her life and then won a Grammy award to just throw a last arrow at any remaining victory that the enemy might have thought he had in her life!

This is victory Gods way. We never get just the scraps from the table but rather the banquet as Psalm 23 says, ‘in the presence of our enemies’!

Obedience and faith is precious in Gods’ eyes. Always seen and acknowledged and always rewarded. The victories that we enjoy through Him are complete victories, lacking absolutely nothing.

This story will be told in our family for generations to come. The joy of this little Princess will be with us until we have finished enjoying long lives. This is a testimony that so many watching the Grammy’s will never know about. When people hear the song “Fear is not my future”, many will sing along as the words resonate with their experiences but they might never know the victory that came through these words from a very talented and God seeking young woman who has overcome a battle that could have overcome her.

To God be the glory, Great things He has done!

“But all who devour you will be devoured, and all your enemies will be sent into exile. All who plunder you will be plundered, and all who attack you will be attacked. I will give you back your health and heal your wounds,” says the LORD. Jeremiah 30:16-18

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

Divine Victory – happens when God fights for you. Divine victory occurs when the success depends on God and not man. Divine victory has marks and characteristics that make the whole world know that it was God who fought for you and gave you the victory. (Banji Adesanmi Ministeries)

 Words are formidable spiritual forces (John 6:63); yet divine victory is achieved only by the Spirit of God and never of our own doing (Zechariah 4:6). It takes a spiritual man to send his words into the spirit realm to dissolve or melt away stubborn and age-old battles that are in place in the spirit realm because of a man’s destiny. (© RCCG Higher Ground Assembly. Baltimore, MD. All rights reserved)

FEAR IS NOT MY FUTURE

So let Him turn it in your favor
Watch Him work it for your good
He’s not done with what He started
He’s not done until it’s good

Hello, peace
Hello, joy
Hello, love
Hello, strength
Hello, hope, it’s a new horizon

Fear is not my future
You are, You are (You are)
Sickness is not my story
You are, You are (You are)
Heartbreak’s not my home
You are, You are (You are)
Death is not the end
You are, You are (You are)

Excerpt from Fear is Not My Future lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

We are all familiar with the expression ‘inner circle’ referring to a group of people with whom we all want to be associated. Being in the inner circle allows us a familiarity with whoever commands the circle.

Imagine being in the inner circle of God? I see so many standing around the outer edges of the circle because they don’t want to commit to a life enclosed by Him. We want, we take and then when we have taken all we need, we get up and go. There is a certain sense of audacious manipulation that makes us believe that we actually get to control a God who created the heavens and the earth!

The inner circle is not a realm of painful limitations but rather an open and spacious place that is protected by a boundary which has been likened to a wall of fire.

Standing around the outside in our religious costumes and postures while revelling in the beauty of the circle and declaring our allegiance to the God of the circle does not make us anything but hypocrites! Unless we remove our garments of pride and step inside in humility, the circle is much like a beautiful cathedral where only the high priests and clergymen get to approach the alter and beyond.

The invitation to dive in and immerse oneself in the perfect love within the circle has been extended to us all. It is a thing of pure beauty not meant to be admired from the outside but to be enjoyed from the inside.

Unlike the famous lyrics of the 70’s hit Hotel California we can check out any time we like AND leave! We have been given the ability to choose for ourselves exactly how much of Gods’ love we receive- there are no limitations on how much love He gives though.

He is always right there on the inside of the Circle, beckoning us to join Him and be saturated in grace, love and holy friendship. Why would you choose to be anywhere else?

He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. Psalm 18:19

There’s a private place reserved for the devoted lovers of Yahweh, where they sit near him and receive the revelation-secrets of his promises. Psalm 25:14

“Perhaps many of us who need healing sit at the side of the pool, but we don’t jump in. We remain high and dry at the side of the healing waters of our spiritual journey. We come up with reasons for not seeking healing with our whole hearts”. Elizabeth Dunn

http://www.elizabethdunning-wix.com

At any given time we are surrounded by so many voices and noises that it is often almost impossible to distinguish one from another. One voice that is almost missable amongst the many is the voice of God. It often seems to melt away amongst every other sound fighting for your attention.

How can we ever even be certain that we have heard from Him especially if His voice is not a familiar one? How can it ever be familiar? Let me try to answer from my own experiences.

If my child hears my voice she will know it is me speaking. In the same way, when I used to take my kids to crowded play areas, they would call me and amongst the many children all calling out “Mom”, I would be able to distinguish my girls’ voices from other children’s. Their tone, voice pitch and sound was that familiar to me that I knew it was them and not any other child.

What makes a voice familiar is the frequency that we hear it. The voices of people that I spend time speaking to regularly are the voices that I recognise immediately.

It’s the same with God. If I spend regular time with Him, I learn to recognise when He is speaking. He doesn’t speak in an audible tone -at least not to me-but I hear Him in other ways.

One thing that can block out the sound of His voice is stubbornness. I have often decided to do something out of stubbornness or rebellion that I knew was not a great idea – I deliberately blocked my ears to the voice of God and the voice of plain wisdom.

Fear is another thing that can cause us to be deaf to God’s voice. It is often fear that makes us follow wrong advice or to go against what we know is a better option. Fear of judgement, fear of time running out or even fear of the unknown.

I have happy memories of family seaside holidays. What we used to love doing was standing on the shore as one wave retracted while waiting for the next one. We would feel the sand shifting under our feet as we dug our heels in and at the same time we would look over our shoulders with great excitement as another big wave approached.

Your head tells you this wave is too big and is going to take me out but your heart tells you that you’re strong enough to withstand its force.

Here in South Africa, I think many are feeling the shifting sand beneath our feet. We see the mighty waves of destruction crashing around us and the many more coming at us but we dig in our heels in the hope that we can continue to stand indefinitely.

Surrendering to the wave is not an option. The only other choice is to run from the shore to the safety of the dry sand but that unfamiliar territory is as scary so we stand and wait to see what will happen next -year in and year out.

For many the voice of God to them said to stand their ground. Obedience in their case was their source of strength. Others are running in fear without any direction because all they hear is the pounding of their feet and their hearts as they do all they can to escape the chaos around them.

Who’s to say which are meant to stay and which are meant to leave? Each of us will hear a different instruction . Some are told to leave and replant elsewhere and others are told to take up the fight right where they are.

I cannot question what your instruction is but I ask this- where did it come from?

Selah.