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I HEAR YOU, GOD
Leave God's 'hot line' open

A Commentary by Constance Vanides

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)

We were new believers in Christ, my husband, Tom and I. We had confessed and been delivered of the things that separated us from God and became "new creatures in Christ." Now, we expected to be rid of our old ways forever. Things would run smoothly between us.

Not so! We were still beginners. The Holy Spirit had only just started to teach us and lead us into more Christ-like lives.

Our new zeal brought us into all kinds of church activities. One job was to take slide photos of church programs in action (no video cameras then) and combine with appropriate music and voiceover to produce a sound/slide show about the church. With an approaching deadline, our anxieties ran high. At one church function, Tom began to load the camera, not realizing the film I had been shooting was still in it and was now exposed!

Accusations began. "You ruined my pictures!" I screamed. "You didn't tell me there was film in the camera!" he retorted. A typical husband and wife lack of communication problem spewed forth. It continued at home as we attempted to put the production together.

Nothing worked: not enough pictures to match the inadequate sound, and then the equipment, the tape recorder, the sound synchronizer, the projector refused to work properly.

Totally frustrated, and into the late hours, we gave up and went to bed angry with each other, not having yet learned the admonition from Paul to the Ephesians, "…do not let the sun go down on your wrath,…" (Ephesians 4:26)

After a restless sleep, I woke up suddenly at 5:30 in the morning with the words, "Colossians 3:13" clearly impressed on my mind. I roused Tom and said to him, "Colossians 3:13" Being rudely awakened and still drowsy, his response was, "What's that?" "I don't know. I think it's in the Bible. I just heard those words."

Then I reached for the Bible I had newly begun to read. "Is it in the Old or New Testament?" asked Tom. "Here it is," I said, "in the New Testament." Completely astonished at what I was looking at, I began to read aloud, "…bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do."

"That's amazing!" we agreed together. "I guess God is trying to tell us something!" In this instance, He was telling us about forgiveness and acceptance of one another. We forgave each other and let go of our angers. Lesson One accomplished! Later on, the slide/sound production came together without a hitch, according to His plan!

Be still for a moment. Is God trying to tell you something today?

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