Growing up within a stone's throw from the train tracks has had one beneficial side effect...it has made me a great sleeper! Once asleep nearly nothing can wake me up. This served me well in college when my roommate brought the habit of snoring to new heights, but hasn't been so beneficial during the early years of fatherhood.
When our children awake in the middle of night (which seems to happen often) my wife is frequently left alone to deal with a crying child/baby. It's not that I'm unwilling to help out, but that more often than not I'm completely unaware that anything is happening. It is normal for me to wake up in the morning commenting on how well everyone must have slept the night before, only to find that my wife and this child or that one slept terribly and were up more than not!
Throughout my life virtually nothing has been able to wake me from my sleep, that is except for the sound of dogs barking. From my early teens onward, it was my responsibility to care for our dogs. I came to know the sounds of their whines, barks, and yips so well that I could tell which dog was making the noise even before crawling out of bed. Because I was responsible to care for them, and because I knew each one (we had three) so well, even in the midst of the soundest sleep I would awake nearly instantly in response to a noise from the dogs.
In our Gospel lesson this week (John 10:22-30), Jesus is being asked by a group of Jews if he is the Messiah or not. They have had enough of his tendency to not necessarily be forthcoming with direct answers and are attempting to compel him to directly answer them. In typical Jesus fashion, he refuses to be cornered and instead directs the conversation away from himself and toward them. Jesus points out that he has answered their question, through his teaching and his deeds, and that their lack of belief and uncertainty over his identity reveals their exclusion from his "flock". Jesus is suggesting that he in fact is the Messiah, and more than that, that he is one with God. He is also, not so subtly, pointing out that by even asking him if he is the Messiah, they are showing how unfamiliar with him (and with God) they truly are!
These words are pretty challenging, and not just for some Jews in the first century, but also for many 21st century Christians. When asked about God's involvement in our lives, many of us have to confess that God is not only not all that active in our day-to-day lives, but that we don't even look for him to be there. This is true not just of casual observers of Christianity, but is also descriptive of Sunday regulars. The unfortunate truth is that although Jesus proclaimed that his sheep would recognize his voice and follow him, many of us haven't a clue what the voice of God sounds like, let alone where we're being led!
Now the standard answers to rectify this deficiency are to attend church more regularly, read our Bibles more faithfully, and pray more diligently. Of course I'm not going to give you a standard answer. It turns out that God wants to be the Lord of our lives, not just the Lord of that one hour on Sunday. God wants us to look to him and seek his guidance in all areas of our lives, not just some things.
Think about it this way, many of us when facing tragedy (lost job, ill loved one, destruction, etc) will turn to God and ask God to make whatever is bad or wrong, better. Some of us, when unexpectedly blessed may think to thank God for the blessing we have received. But how many of us appeal to God when we're looking for advice. How many ask God for direction regarding a job change, a home purchase, a car purchase, a dinner destination/choice, or a wardrobe selection? It may seem silly to ask God whether we should wear the blue shirt or the purple shirt, but is it any sillier than asking a three year old who may or may not know the difference between the two colors? It might seem trivial to ask God if you should eat chicken or steak, but then again is asking the waitress at the restaurant so much wiser?
The benefit in appealing to God's guidance and wisdom in all you do may not necessarily be in the responses you receive but in the fact that you are actually turning to God, seeking God's direction, and expecting God to respond. The truth is that many of us don't know/hear God not because God doesn't speak, but because we don't expect God to be speaking and therefore don't listen. So go out this week seeking God, listening for God, and expecting to hear God's voice.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor John
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