When the Lord speaks, will you listen?
Grand Sweep Daily Reading: 2 Kings 9, 10, 11
2 Kings 9:1-3 (NIV)
1 The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. 2 When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room. 3 Then take the flask and pour the oil on his head and declare, ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run; do not delay!”
Genesis 35:11-15 (NIV)
11 And God said to [Jacob], “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you. 13 Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him. 14 Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15 Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.”
Good morning!
I spent a lot of time riding bicycles when I was a child. We lived on a circle drive, just off a service road. The street was relatively quiet and it did not have a lot of cross-traffic. This made bicycle riding a real treat! My neighborhood friends would join me for races at the end of the street all the way to the inner circle. We would clip baseball cards to the spokes of our wheels with clothes pins and as we pedaled, they would make a cool flapping noise. Occasionally, the chain would become dry and begin to squeal when we would brake. My father would step outside with his can of oil and grease the chain and spokes. I always liked my bicycle best after it was oiled. Talk about a smooth ride – no more squeaking or hesitation, and it felt as if I were floating on air. It’s amazing what a little oil can do for a squeaky wheel.
When our grandson Joshua was baptized at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Cuba, Missouri in 2002, the priest took a flask of oil and literally poured it over the child’s head. I wondered whether we would ever be able to wash all that oil out of his hair. Joshua looked like a little greased monkey, and we had to be extremely careful holding him the rest of the day because that boy was slippery! There was no doubt in our minds that our grandson had been anointed by God that morning as His precious and beloved child.
When Jacob experienced the Word of the Lord at Bethel, he poured out a drink offering and a flask of oil upon the stone pillar where they met. It was there that God blessed his willing servant, promising that a nation of faithful followers, kings and a community of nations would be birthed through Jacob’s line. He was promised the land that was given to his ancestors Abraham and Isaac, and that land would be passed down to Jacob’s descendants.
Don’t you wonder how Jehu must have felt when the prophet of God pulled him aside and anointed him with oil? The Lord had handpicked Jehu to be the next king of Israel. His job would not be easy and yet, Jehu could achieve it, if he completely relied on the strength of the Lord in all things. Do you make time to listen to the Lord? Can you hear Him speak to your heart? Every morning, I set aside a block of time to rest in the loving arms of my Savior. His Word is the anointing I need to carry with me all the day long. I know that when I focus my whole heart, mind and strength upon His Word, He will lead me through the day and help me achieve the work He has for me to do. His anointing saturates the squeaky and rough places in my heart and restores me to new life. I can hear His still, small voice as I sit enraptured in His holy presence. The anointing oil He pours over my head gives me grace and courage to follow Him, even when the road is narrow and rough.
You are a child of the King of Kings. When you invite Jesus to become your Lord and Savior, He will begin to speak words of eternal life to your heart. Will you hear Him when He calls you? Take a moment today to dip your hand into the cleansing oil of His Word. Feel the release in knowing that your imperfections are covered through His precious blood. He has big plans for you. Can you feel His anointing upon your life today?
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com
Pray for: eyes and ears to see and hear the amazing work God is doing inside of your heart. Allow Him to anoint you today through His Word. When the Lord speaks, people listen. Will you hear and answer when He calls out your name?
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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