In my opinion, listening is a hard thing to do…even when someone is talking (and I’m quiet) I am usually thinking of what I am going to say next. Giving someone our full attention does not come naturally to most people because they see more value in what they are saying rather than finding significance in the words of another. However, there is one thing that seems to shut me up every time. Silence has met me on the canals of the River Delta in Argentina as well as the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina in late December. A bus tour through the glorious countryside of Utah and the mountains of Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic also left me speechless. Simple things such as the quietness of falling snow, the boisterous noise of an approaching storm, and the changing colors of the leaves in the fall leave even the most eloquent without words. Even now as I write this entry I am content to listen carefully to the crashing waves against the shore from the ocean in front of me. I am listening…. God has a real way of speaking to people even though most would say that they have never heard Him speak audibly. In fact, I have never had the privilege of hearing God’s voice (nor do I think most people have), yet I think many are listening for Him in the wrong ways. Nature has this way of speaking and since I firmly believe God is the Creator of all things, I also believe He speaks loudly through His creation. I’m not talking about some freaky, mystical experience but rather a genuine communication of God’s power and might in conjunction with His love for beauty. I am quickly reminded of Paul’s words to the church at Colosse: “For by Him all things were created…. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16). God created everything we see for His pleasure and since He enjoys what He sees, I think we should also find joy in what He has designed. Take some time out of your busy schedule to stop doing and start looking and listening. Look for God’s fingerprint in the simple, everyday things around you and then respond by giving Him your full attention…He may be trying to tell you something!
