Rudolph???????

Tonight I was sitting in a big cozy chair in the corner of Borders reading a really interesting book. I say I was reading, but actually I was doing what I usually do when I go to the bookstore...I was people watching and listening :)

Before you start judging me just know that I don't listen to entire conversations. I just take a quick glance up from my book to see what's going on around me.

Tonight, however, I heard an entire conversation....and I wasn't trying! (seriously)

This is how it happened:

I was sitting in my chair minding my own business and trying to slurp all the whip cream off of my white mocha when I noticed two gentlemen walking towards me. They were probably in their mid-forties and were both wearing Christmas sweaters. I immediately took a liking to them because of their shirts and I couldn't help but smile as I noticed one of them was even wearing a bright, blinking Christmas pin.

The two men happened to sit at a small table right next to my chair, and the man with the blinking light(for this story I will call him Rudolph...blinking light....get it?..never mind) anyways, Rudolph started talking 90 to nothin. He began the conversation by thanking his friend for coming to spend time with him, for being there when nobody else was, and for helping him when he had recently let him down. Rudolph told his friend that he had asked him to talk so that he could get some wisdom and advice for a bad situation. His friend, who I will call JS, softly nodded his head and placed an understanding hand on his friends shoulder to reassure him. With that, Rudolph was off to the races!

He was speaking so loud that everyone in the room couild hear his problems.

As I sat there trying not to listen(this was a first for me) I found myself smiling. I wasn't smiling at Rudolph or making fun of him at all. It was just that in that moment I caught a glimpse of what God must feel like with us at times.

We come to Him and thank Him for always being there for us even when we have let him down. We thank Him for being our divine helper, and we go to Him in the midst of a trying time in our lives, and we beg Him for wisdom and instruction.

...and the beautiful thing about that is that we can do it over and over again!!!

There is nothing wrong with going to God over and over again with our problems. In fact, He delights in the times we seek Him!

However, if we are going to Him for wisdom and instruction then we have to be willing to take a breath, and give Him time to respond to us.

He might not respond with an audible voice, but He will speak to you through His word!

He loves to listen to you, so cry out to Him!

He loves to speak to you, so listen to Him!

As I got up from my chair Rudolph was still talking to JS.

I smiled as I walked past them and found myself saying a little prayer for Rudolph.

I also said a special prayer of thanks for the way that Rudolph's little red light led me to the realization that the Lord is our great friend! He is always there to listen to me no matter how many times I might need Him, and He will give me wisdom if I will stop and take the time to listen to Him.