Living Life by Design

In junior high school I had a friend named Ricky Hayes. We walked to school every day, had classes together as well as PE. At the time, we were as close as two friends could be. We got into every kind of mischief two young pre-teen boys could have, and loved every minute of it. We shared with each other our thoughts, ambitions and of course, our fears. We had a healthy, heartfelt, and fulfilling friendship. 

After graduating from jr. high, Ricky moved quite some distance away and then moved to another state. We eventually lost contact with each other. I often wonder what became of him.

I truly missed the friendship I had with Ricky. It wasn’t until years later that I discovered that I could have the same kind of friendship with God. Jesus regards those who follow him as his friends (John 15:15). Moses was God’s friend. If it was possible for Moses then, the New Testament tells us, it is possible for us now. 

I remember in the summertime, after school Ricky and I would run to Fairmount Park in Riverside, where we lived. We would go exploring in the marshy wooded area next to lake, find a hidden stream and go swimming. We’d sit next to the stream, basking in the sun and talk for hours.

Moses too had that kind of extraordinary friendship with God. He would go into the Tent of Meeting to enquire of the Lord. A pillar of cloud would come down ‘while the Lord spoke with Moses’ (Exodus 33:9). ‘The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend’ (v.11a).

What was it that made my friendship with Ricky and the relationship Moses had with God so special. Obviously, having a friendship with God himself is beyond words. But, I believe there’s something else that made the two friendships similar.

For weeks I have been asking for God’s guidance in dealing with some particularly difficult situations at work. In the shower this morning (don’t laugh, it can happen) God began to speak with me. In a very distinct voice, I heard him say, “Stop! Listen!” Immediately I held my breath and listened. 

Have you ever had someone command your attention by saying, Stop! Listen! It literally takes your breath away. You don’t breath. You don’t think. You just…listen. Well, that’s certainly how I felt when God spoke to ME in the shower. I held my breath and listened intently. I didn’t hear anything…lol. I paused and tried to hear something. Nothing! God then said, “Stop hearing and start listening”. Immediately God helped me to hear the water coming from the shower. It was calming. I heard a distant crow, a bird and a pigeon cooing. I heard wood planks being stacked, a hammer and a nail gun. I was amazed at all the noise that had been drowned out because I was mealy hearing and not listening. 

As I listened, God asked me to count the different sounds. As I did, my stress began to melt. The voices, arguments, and all the “stuff” that constantly occupied my thoughts stopped. I was at piece, relaxed and I clearly heard God speaking. It wasn’t strained. I didn’t have to interpret what I thought I was hearing. I had stopped hearing. I was now listening.

This is what made my friendship with Ricky so special. It is what made the relationship between Moses and God so special. I listened to Ricky as he listened to me. This is how we could sit on the bank of a river and talk for hours. We often lost track of time and had to run home to less than pleased parents. 

I can close my eyes and see Moses and Jesus sitting together by a beautiful stream, basking in the afternoon sun after taking a swim…talking for hours, enjoying each other’s company. Being best friends.

This is what we need daily; to stop hearing and begin listening to  God speaking to us ‘face-to-face’ and grow in our friendship with our lord. 

Stop!

Listen!

Close your eyes…He’s sitting by the stream waiting for you now.