I was coming back from work one day and I so much wanted to attend the evening service in my church. Although it was already late and my church is very far from my work place, I figured I could still meet at the least, the last 15 minutes. When I got to the junction of my street, I had a nudge to stop (because my church is way beyond my street), but I said to myself, God wouldn't want me not to attend church, and so I kept on moving. This was already about 30 minutes to the end of the service and I still had several kilometers to cover. We got to another junction and I clearly heard the words 'come down here'. After much consideration, I came down a few kilometers beyond but I still hadn't yet gotten to church and I said to myself, 'maybe something is going to happen to that bus that's why He said I should come down', and so I boarded another bus. I didn't hear anymore instructions or get anymore nudging after this. I finally got to the church gate, but unfortunately, some few minutes after they had finished saying the grace. I slapped myself in the head and I felt very very bad. One more lesson learnt, STOP COMPLETING GOD'S SENTENCES FOR HIM.
Many of us are guilty of 'assuming' what we think God has said to us, or what God means in what He has said to us. That day, I learnt clarity. I didn't bother to ask Him why I was told to stop, in fact in the first place, I didn't ask Him if I should still bother going, because it was already late in the night. And then I remember what one of my Spiritual fathers said, don't judge what God is saying based only on what He said yesterday, because yesterday, He might have said 'go', but today, He might be saying 'don't go', in relation to the same situation, but if you aren't listening, you might just assume He is still saying what He said yesterday.
We always say the Lord's prayer...'give us this day our daily bread'. 'Daily bread' here is not just referring to material things, it is also referring to the spiritual, something like 'Father, what is your Word for me today?' 'What are You saying to me today?' 'What should I do today?' 'How should I go about this thing today?' Don't ever think God is tired of hearing your voice, that's why He's your father.
When Jesus said that except we are like little children, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God (Mat 18:3). Children (toddlers) are never in the state of thinking they know it all, they are always willing to follow the instructions of their dad and mum. This is how God wants it to be because we are His children. I would quote one of my Bishops "I would rather be a 'blind' with a Shepherd (Jesus), than seeing and without a Shepherd (Jesus)" and I concur with that. I would prefer running to God to get His opinions about the steps I want to take and follow His Instructions, than make my own decisions on my own and risk facing so many disappointments, or always getting less than the best of the best. Prov 37:5 and Prov 3:5-7 sums it all up. Regard your own 'wisdom' as 'foolishness' and it would make it easier for you to humble yourself enough to ask from the Master.
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