Convicting Creatures

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Graeme Wilson in Victory Call

But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you (Job 12:7-8, NJKV).

Has God ever used an animal to convict you? This has been my experience far more often than I would care to admit. We know that He did that with Balaam and his donkey, and that’s pretty ironic considering that God used a notoriously stubborn animal to effectively and poignantly deliver his message to an even more stubborn sorcerer.

Recently while reposing in my sun-drenched leather chair while communing with my Lord, my kitty nestled contentedly in my lap to enjoy my presence. Once settled, she began basking in it. Her body increasingly relaxed as her rhythmic purring grew louder. She started to twitch as she drifted into sleep: There was no place she would rather be! Enjoying the companionship and God’s gift to me, my thoughts drifted to……myself.

I sat prayerfully contemplating whether or not I actively and intentionally savor my Lord’s presence to the same frequency and degree that my kitty basks in mine. After an honest probing I realized there are indeed many mornings and times throughout the day in which I do; yet, there are most definitely occasions in which I allow the beckoning tasks or daunting pressures of the day to impede, interrupt, or shorten my devotional time. I always regret it when I do.

This leads me to wonder about you. Are you open to the Lord’s lessons for you via His wondrous creation? Maybe it will be or has been delivered by an industrious ant, a praying mantis (that was my lesson last week!), a joyful song-bird, a faithful canine, a persistent spider, a content kitty, or an ingenious squirrel. Or maybe your instructor will be something more inanimate like a mighty oak that weathers storms, a celestial object that dutifully stays its ordained course, or a responsive sea that is sensitive to its environment cues. If you haven’t been experiencing God’s nature lessons, I encourage you to be on the lookout for these instructive critters and enlightening objects. And if you profit from these faithful “prophets”- I’d love to hear about it!

Melissa

Melissa Smith is the Women of Character Coordinator at America’s Keswick. She has the privilege and honor of ministering to the Colony men’s wives and girlfriends, the Barbara’s Place women, and some women from the community who God brings to America’s Keswick for help or care. She and Bill, her husband of 18 years, have four adopted children ages 17 to 24. Her fervent desire is to point women to Christ and His sufficiency, provision, and promises.