Follow Directions

This morning something simple happened to me.   Sometimes simplicity is the best teacher.

I walked down to feed my chickens.

“Go down to the bottom of the hill.  I have something to show you,” a whisper came to my heart.

“God is that you?”

No answer.  I shrugged my shoulders, and thought to myself that a morning hike to the bottom of the hill couldn’t hurt.  Besides, what if the voice WAS God?  He said he had something to show me!

My expectation mounted as I carefully made my way down the steep terrain.

I glanced to my right.  Off in the distance, I saw a large beautiful patch of purple woodland flowers.

“God - is that what you wanted to show me?”

He chuckled and said that although that was created to bring me pleasure, it wasn’t the reason.

I reached the bottom and drank in my surroundings, looking around with anticipation.  

“God, what is it?”

His second instruction came:  “Wait.”

So I waited.  And waited.  I watched 2 Southwest flights fly over my head on their flight path.  I noticed the warmth of the sun on the still morning. 

And still I waited, beginning to grow impatient.  Maybe I heard wrong.

“Watch for the wind,” His third instruction whispered.  I laughed at this, because the wind was NOT blowing.  It was the stillest I’d ever seen this valley.

Then I heard the faint rustling of wind stirring up leaves.  I watched the wind pick up and play with the trees, the limbs dancing with an unseen partner.

As I watched the wind, I heard three loud “huffs” and saw the deer running through the woods.

I laughed excitedly.  “Was that it, God?”

“Yes!  Wasn’t he amazing?!”

As I walked up the hill, my conversation continued.  

“Was there something I needed to learn from this?” I asked.

“Yes.  Did you notice I didn’t give you all of the instructions all at once?”

“Yes...”.

“and as you obeyed each instruction, then you received the next?”

“Yesss!!”  I was beginning to get the point.

“This was just a small experience I wanted you to enjoy with me.  But remember - life is the same.  You have to follow the first instruction before you receive the next.  Then you have to follow the 2nd and so on.”

Reader - if you find yourself stuck - ask yourself:  “what was the last instruction God gave me?”  He wants to know you are listening to Him - by your actions.  Do that one thing, and He will tell you what your next step is...AFTER you do it.