Come and Hear

From my sleeping bag, I heard God calling. He wanted me to get out of bed at dawn. Through the voice of a camp counselor, He called, as she rose to spend time with God by the lake. Come and see, she said. Come and see, He said.

I went back to sleep instead.

From a metal folding chair in a room crowded with awkward teenagers, God called. Through a song and a story, through a man who looked like those pictures of Jesus, he called. Come to me, he sang. Come to me, He called.

I felt a flutter in my heart, a dryness of mouth. I will come, I said.

From afar, I found that I didn't always have to hear Him calling. Through a haze, He called, a haze of relationships that took me away. That I wanted to take me away. I could speak louder, walk prouder, look harder for other voices to drown Him out. I love you, He said.

What's that? I said. I can't hear you over my noise. I won't hear you.

From a car driving in a bad part of town at 2am, God called. Through blood and the smell of death and the panic of losing a tiny life, He gave grace. You think you've gone so far, He said. And yet I am still right here. I have always been right here.

I can hear you now, I said, so glad He did not leave when I asked.

From the silence of my room, God did not even whisper, but He was there. Through the pain and brokenness of doubt and fear, He stayed. Curled up on the floor, I did not hear Him speak, but I felt Him stay.

This being here--this is all I have, I said. And it was enough for a time.

From my own security in singleness, God surprised me with love. You will walk together, God said. If I had been a dreamer of Prince Charmings, this man would have surpassed them all. For Prince Charmings have no tension, no give-and-take, no joy in the journey. Join together and come, He said.

We will come, we said.

From months without hope, God gave a gift. Through a blue line on a plastic test, God said, Let there be. Months later, that blue line was a boy, naked and crying and bloody and so very perfect.

It is good, we said. You are good.

From days with broken glass and rebel hearts, God carries me. Through these three loud and messy and beautiful blessings, I struggle and grow. YOU are this rebel child, He says. You rail this way against my love.

God, help me, I say. And please, cure my rebel heart.


God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me! Psalm 66:20


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This week, I could not get past verse 16 in Psalm 66, so I shared some of the places where God spoke in my life. Where has he spoken in yours?

Come be refreshed with Stephanie Spencer and the others joining in Psalms Journey.