God is good.  This morning at the Bible study I attend, a guy sitting down several tables from us came up to me while we were in the fellowship portion and out of nowhere repeated the thoughts above (we hadn't been talking about it even in the study, so it's not a case of him hearing us discuss it).

Wow. I think god put you on earth to write blogs! this is, like, the 10th star i've given you!

And then it happened again.  I heard the same thing today while catching up on podcasts.  Brian, the Daily Audio Bible guy, said it on the July 3rd Podcast!

Catch up time!

Lora, how very true.  And what is time to God?

Hi Mike!

Jen, it definitely seems like it's something that's on everyone's mind.  Or maybe I'm just travelling in the same circles as you.

BFAM1!  I didn't plagarize a story this time.  You should be proud.  I appreciate the compliment (and the star) 

Deb... Sound advice as well. 

Such an important point, Norm!  Great post!  There are many "jobs" we can do in the church with that early zeal, while we are studying and growing, but it is an oft made mistake of the church to place new Christians into teaching and leadership positions too early before they have had time to establish that relationship.  And it's truly the church's fault, because people can't be expected to know they need to grow.  They are used to being leaders in society, and they don't yet comprehend how the Christian journey is different.  For example, all of us reading this blog think you wrote this about other people besides us!    :)

And after I was done writing it I found it was as good of a reminder for myself as I'm guessing it is for anyone else.

I think one very important part to consider is that it takes some people (myself included) far too long to realize that there is no task, no job that either is going to pay back Christ for his sacrifice, or make us more deserving of it.  The only way we can find that out is by doing "nothing" and finding He loves us no less. 

Mike: Considering bfam1 isn't a blood relative, I would go with a no there if I didn't have to worry about being argumentative.

BFAM1: The tie between is thicker than blood!  (Maybe someday we should explain yours and BFAM2's initials. ;) ) 

Mike, if you go here you'll see a picture of BFAM1 and BFAM2.  BFAM1 is older by about 25 minutes, hence, being BFAM1!

dork

Fabulous post Norm. 

I had actually never thought of 'listening' as a call to action.  But you're absolutely right.. it's perhaps one of the best ways we can stay in tune with what God is doing in our lives. 

Hab 2:20 But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth hush {and} keep silence before Him.

Zech 2:13 Be still, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused {and} risen from His holy habitation.

2 Chr 20:17 You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.

Job 32:18 For I am full of words; the spirit within me constrains me.

Job 36:2 Bear with me {and} wait a little longer, and I will show you, for I have something still to say on God's behalf.

Ps 23:2 He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still {and} restful waters.

Ps 37:7 Be still {and} rest in the Lord; wait for Him {and} patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself …

Ps 46:10 Let be {and} be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth!

1 Sam 9:27 And as they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us--and he passed on--but you stand still, first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.

1 Sam 12:16 So stand still and see this great thing the Lord will do before your eyes now.

Eph 6:13 Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist {and} stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].

Ex 14:13 Moses told the people, Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians you have seen today you shall never see again.

Ex 17:9 And Moses said to Joshua, Choose us out men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.

Ex 33:21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place beside Me, and you shall stand upon the rock

Ps 139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue [still unuttered], but, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

Num 11:16 And the Lord said to Moses, Gather for Me seventy men of the elders of Israel whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; and bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them stand there with you.

Num 16:8 And Moses said to Korah, Hear, I pray you, you sons of Levi:

Num 16:9 Does it seem but a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them,

Num 22:35 The Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men, but you shall speak only what I tell you. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Num 22:38 And Balaam said to Balak, Indeed I have come to you, but do I now have any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.

Num 23:3 And Balaam said to Balak, Stand by your burnt offering and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me; and whatever He shows me I will tell you. And he went to a bare height.

Num 23:5 And the Lord put a speech in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return to Balak and thus shall you speak.

Num 23:6 Balaam returned to Balak, who was standing by his burnt sacrifice, he and all the princes of Moab.

Num 23:11 And Balak said to Balaam, What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, and here you have [thoroughly] blessed them instead!

Num 23:12 And Balaam answered, Must I not be obedient {and} speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?

Deut 5:31 But you [Moses], stand here by Me, and I will tell you all the commandments and the statutes and the precepts which you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess.

Deut 10:8 At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister to Him and to bless in His name unto this day.

Deut 18:1 THE LEVITICAL priests and all the tribe of Levi shall have no part or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings made by fire to the Lord, and His rightful dues.

Deut 18:5 For the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in the name [and presence] of the Lord, him and his sons forever.

Deut 18:6 And if a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel where he is a temporary resident, he may come whenever he desires to [the sanctuary] the place the Lord will choose;

Deut 27:9 And Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, Keep silence and hear, O Israel! This day you have become the people of the Lord your God

Deut 27:10 So you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God and do His commandments and statutes which I command you today.

Deut 27:11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,

Deut 27:12 These [tribes] shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have passed over the Jordan:

Deut 29:10 All of you stand today before the Lord your God--your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel,

Deut 29:11 Your little ones, your wives, and the stranger {and} sojourner in your camp, from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water--

Deut 29:12 That you may enter into the covenant of the Lord your God, and into His oath which He makes with you today,

Deut 29:13 That He may establish you this day as a people for Himself, and that He may be to you a God as He said to you and as He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Deut 29:14 It is not with you only that I make this sworn covenant

Deut 29:15 But with future Israelites who do not stand here with us today before the Lord our God, as well as with those who are here with us this day.

Josh 1:5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.

Josh 3:13 When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord of all the earth shall rest in the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan coming down from above shall be cut off and they shall stand in one heap.

Josh 5:15 And the Prince of the Lord's host said to Joshua, Loose your shoes from off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy. And Joshua did so.

Mark 4:39 And He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush now! Be still (muzzled)! And the wind ceased (sank to rest as if exhausted by its beating) and there was [immediately] a great calm (a perfect peacefulness).

The wind listened to Jesus, will I listen today and find perfect peace.

Heb 3:15 Then while it is [still] called Today, if you would hear His voice {and} when you hear it, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion [in the desert, when the people provoked and irritated and embittered God against them].

Heb 4:1 THEREFORE, WHILE the promise of entering His rest still holds {and} is offered [today], let us be afraid [to distrust it], lest any of you should think he has come too late {and} has come short of [reaching] it.

Song 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him].

Luke 10:38 Now while they were on their way, it occurred that Jesus entered a certain village, and a woman named Martha received {and} welcomed Him into her house.

Luke 10:40 But Martha [overly occupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me [to lend a hand and do her part along with me]!

Luke 10:41 But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;

Heb 4:7 Again He sets a definite day, [a new] Today, [and gives another opportunity of securing that rest] saying through David after so long a time in the words already quoted, Today, if you would hear His voice {and} when you hear it, do not harden your hearts.

Ex 32:29 And Moses said [to the Levites, By your obedience to God's command] you have consecrated yourselves today [as priests] to the Lord, each man [at the cost of being] against his own son and his own brother, that the Lord may restore {and} bestow His blessing upon {you} this day.