In Him We Live and Move and Have Our Being

As I prayed this morning, desperately seeking to hear the Lord’s voice whisper in my ear, I noticed something rather strange.  I had my elbows on the table and my head in my hands praying and as I looked up I noticed the flowers moving in the vase in front of me.  I listened to hear if the air conditioner was on to see if it was the air from the vents causing the flowers to sway.  No air on.  Then I realized the flowers were moving with a specific rhythm.  I moved my elbows from the table and the flowers quit moving.  I placed them back on the table and the movement began again, only this time I realized that they were moving in rhythm with my heartbeat.  Immediately the Word came to me, “For in Him we live and move and have our being.”  (Acts 17:28)  We move to the rhythm of God’s heartbeat.

I love to look for patterns in my life, things that are related or the same.  I look often to see if the Lord is leading me to the same word, phrase, people, or activity over a period of days or weeks.  Over the last few weeks the Lord has put me with single adults who are hungry for spiritual understanding.  I have had the opportunity to speak to ninety single adults about my passion of hiding God’s Word in my heart, to answer questions of several young single women in a small group and to give insight into how to study the Word to a small group of single men and women. Then just last night I received a call from someone asking me to fill in tonight for a teacher who was ill. The class I have been asked to teach is for a group of young singles and the topic is discipleship.  I see a pattern here, don’t you? 

Recently I have been a little off track spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  When I get my eyes focused more on me rather than on Jesus I become self-obsessed, insecure, and undisciplined.  I was feeling like I was just wandering and not being purpose driven in my life.  Much of this comes with age and transitioning from one season of life to another.   I have been an empty nester for about 10 years now, but only recently did both of my children move to California, which is a long way from Texas!  I just got back from a visit with my children and since returning home have been stuck.  I miss them terribly, but at the same time am extremely proud and grateful that my children are healthy, godly, brave and are living smack dab in the middle of God’s will. But, I have been asking God, “What about me?  What have I done?  What have I accomplished?   Will I be productive in my old age?” 

Then I saw the flowers move to my heartbeat and realized that I have been moving to God’s heartbeat.  He has been leading me to opportunities to pour out my life’s experiences to this next generation.  “He determined the times set for them (me) and the exact places where they (I) should live.  God did this so that men (I) would seek Him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  For in him we live and move and have our being.”  (Acts 17:26-28)  It really isn’t about me at all.  It is about God’s timing, His purpose, and His plan.  I am once again reminded to “fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  (Hebrews 12:2)  Jesus accomplished the work of redemption and placed within me purpose.  The purpose is to declare His praise, His power, and His grace to the next generation and to those who have yet been created.  Psalm 102:18 

I have been preaching to myself this morning, but perhaps you need a little encouragement today, as well.  If you are moving into a new season, a new stage or experiencing transition of any kind, keep your focus off of yourself and set your eyes and your mind of God’s desires.  He desires to live and move in and through you.  Look around and see God at work moving you to His rhythm, His pattern, His purpose.  Don’t walk away, but seek Him, reach out for Him and you will find Him – promise!  “For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Matthew 7:8

Moving to His Rhythm,

Nancy