The swift opening of an envelope reveals the summons ‘Mrs Peel – we’re needed!’ Thus began some episodes of the 1960s UK TV series ‘The Avengers’, with the crime fighting investigators (Steed and Mrs Peel) put on alert that a wrong needed to be righted.
This article is about God’s word cutting across our lives, showing us ‘we’re needed’ too.
The ability to direct our attention is a key to great progress in the Christian faith. Working in a primary school I see what a hard-won ability it is, not only to pay attention, but to choose what to focus on. The story of Mary and Martha illustrates the important choice we have about where we fix our attention. Sometimes this story can be unfairly characterised as a competition between ‘being still’ versus ‘helping out’. However it is clear from others Scriptures that there is a time for action and service in the Christian faith. (Bear in mind the same Mary later sensed the call to buy expensive perfume to later pour onto Jesus, which prepared His body for burial1. Mary acted).
So surely the key in the Mary and Martha story is knowing when and how to be still and listen and when and how to act afterwards.
In the story of Mary and Martha, Jesus was sharing life giving words; He was speaking. Therefore the better choice was to direct attention to His voice, to listen for insights, commands or whatever He chose for that moment.
So for us, Jesus is speaking words of guidance, command and wisdom, so we too need the habit of directing our attention to Him, so that we hear them.
How we hear Him more clearly – 2 suggestions:
1 ) When reading the Bible, if you are not already on a reading plan, ask the Lord to guide you as which book of the Bible to work through next. Try a chapter a day and ask the Lord to speak to you and to help you understand what you read for your life2. Even in difficult chapters, the Lord may draw your attention to a principle at work, (like the importance of thanksgiving before we come to God in worship). (See The Reverence and the Radiance if you seek a fuller explanation of this example).
2) When praying, after thanksgiving and requests, have a time at the end where you ask the Lord for His direction on the day ahead.
The Lord may:
- remind you to fulfil a forgotten commitment: (like sponsoring a friend at work who is doing a fun-run)
- put someone in mind, (pray and then contact the person by phone to check in on them).
- put a situation in mind (state of the local streets) then make this a matter of prayer about being involved to help.
In this way we participate in how ‘The Lord directs his love by day’ Psalm3 , with wonderful surprises for those whom His love reaches through us.
How was your day?
Another way the Lord may speak to us in a day is through our strongest reactions to situations that occur.
For example, we may have an unexpectedly deep conversation with a neighbour which we find meaningful or we may have a difficult encounter which replays over in our mind afterwards.
Good or bad, strong reactions are signposts that we need the Lord’s guidance. Our strong reactions (including mulling over things) are often the tips of an ice-berg being revealed in our lives.
Here, the practice of asking the Lord why we have reacted strongly, can be crucial for our healing and growth. The Lord may reveal hidden hurts that the encounter has triggered and He wishes to heal both today’s and past wounds that we may be more whole. (See end paragraph Forgiveness is cleansing for a fuller example, if needed).
Positively, a good encounter may have moved us because God is calling us to more of such encounters, perhaps renewing a relationship or renewing the gift of listening well or some other compassionate act. (Mrs Peel – we’re needed!)
How has the Lord ‘cut across’ your life today?
You may find the Ignatian examen prayer (see bibliography4), a helpful guide to 10 mins of reflection on your day. How wonderful that the Lord has life-giving words for us that will go deeper and last longer than any emotional encounter we have.
Let’s set our gaze towards Him, making that crucial time to listen so that we not only know ‘we’re needed’ but our wounds are His concern too, and His words are for our life5.
- John 12 v 1-11, NIV ↩︎
- A comprehensive guide on Bible meditation is found in McAlpine, C, 1981, The Practice of Biblical Meditation, Hants UK, Marshalls Paperbacks ↩︎
- Psalm 42 v 8,NIV ↩︎
- Thibodeaux, M.E., 2015, Re-imagining the Ignatian examen, Chicago U.S.A., Loyalapress ↩︎
- Psalm 20 v 4-5, NIV ↩︎
All Scripture quotations in this website are taken from the Holy Bible,
New International Version
Copyright 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society used by permission of Hodder an Stoughton a division of Hodder Headline Ltd. All rights reserved. “NIV” is a registered trademark of Internal Bible Society UK trademark number 1448790
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