Sunday, October 23, 2016

Elder’s Corner: “Are You Listening?”

 For the last several months as Judy's Alzheimer's disease progressed, she was mostly non-responsive. Many mornings I'm awake but still in bed and I hear talking in the other room. It's Judy. I get up and quietly tiptoe into the front room and go sit by her.  I listen intently and strain at every word to see if reason has returned and what she might have to say.  I ask “are you worried about anything?” “No.” It helps put my mind at ease. Then I say a short “kid” prayer with her. 
Do you long to hear God talking to you every morning? Then listen! God wants you to hear Him. “I like talking to you,” so I continue the conversation with Judy.  She replies unintelligibly. I wish I could decipher what she says. Her thoughts are trapped in a maze in her mind that won't let them out. God has that same desire—that you would talk with Him, share your innermost thoughts and worries with Him. God wants to talk to you, to tell you how much He loves you, to tell you what He has planned for your day and your future-but you don't respond. 
The Bible says God speaks to us in several ways:

1) His Word, Ps. 119:105; 2 Tim. 3:16-17
2) His World, Rom. 1:20  
3) His Will, Col. 1:9
4) His Wisdom, James 1:5
5) His Son, Heb. 1:1-2
6) His Spirit, John 16:13
7) His Will, Rom. 8:28
8) His People, Acts 9:17
9) His Visions, Acts 9:10

My hope is that you will choose to give up a part of your day to carefully listen to what God wants to say to you. I wish that from the depths of my heart—just as much as I wished I could have known what Judy was trying to communicate to me. Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God...” Again I would like to say a special “thank you” to all of you who have shared our struggle, with prayers and kindnesses, through this disease and death.      

—Alan

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