An Unlikely Assignment

As I stood in my kitchen chopping vegetables to go with my breakfast, I heard it, "No eye has seen. No ear has heard."  I paused for a moment.  I knew this was part of a verse in the Bible, although I wasn't sure exactly which one.  It seemed to make no sense because I was praying for confirmation to something I had sensed God laying on my heart earlier.  Something that was invigorating and exciting when it came to me, but with each passing moment was slowly starting to sound ridiculous.  Does that ever happen to you?  I can be so certain about something and then suddenly doubt and uncertainty start to creep in and I need God's confirmation that the idea was indeed from Him and not of my own making.  I dismissed the seemingly insignificant verse and continued to mull over the thoughts that had filled my head and my heart during my quiet time earlier that morning.  I finished my last bite of egg and returned to the place where I perch when I am conversing with God.  I asked again, "God, please give me confirmation that this idea is from you and not from me."  I thought to myself, surely He would answer me before my day grew hectic!  Suddenly, there it was again, even clearer than before..."No eye has seen.  No ear has heard."  Okay, so it totally didn't make sense to me, but this time I knew I was to pay attention.  Anytime a verse comes to me from out of nowhere, especially when it is repeated a second time, it is most definitely something I am supposed to look into further.  How could this verse possibly be the answer to what I was seeking?  It seemed to make no sense at all!

No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him. (1 Cor. 2:9)

Just moments later, I was blown away as I read both before and after the words God had spoken to me.  It was from 1 Corinthians 2, a chapter all about the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, which fit EXACTLY with the assignment I had sensed God lay on my heart earlier!  This was indeed the confirmation I was asking for!  I had suddenly been flooded earlier that morning with thoughts of a 30-Day Challenge.  But not the kind you are thinking.  You know the ones...30-Day Squat and Plank Challenges, 30-Day Get-Your-Finances-In-Order Challenges, 30-Clean Eating Challenges, and the list goes on.  30-Day Challenges are all the rage these days, but the kind of 30-Day Challenge I sensed God was asking me to do was very different from any of the ones I listed above.  You see, 30-Day Challenges were designed to help give us control to change something about ourselves in 30 days.  But God, He wasn't asking me to control something.  He was challenging me to give HIM (through His Holy Spirit within me) complete control for 30 days and see what He is capable of.  I gotta tell you that even typing those words makes this recovering control freak very uncomfortable, but I know I am going to accept the challenge.  I am choosing to say YES to God!  So, for 30 days, starting today, I am going to wake up every morning and ask God to show me my assignment for the day.  Who can I help?  How can I be His hands and feet in my ordinary, everyday life?  Help me to see people through His eyes and pour out His great compassion on them, whether strangers, family or friends. Whoever He leads me to, I know He wants them to know they were personally chosen by the God of the Universe, Who sees them, knows them intimately, and cares deeply for them.  I am both excited and scared to death, but I cannot say no to the God who has heard my cry and delivered me from all my fears again and again.  He takes my breath away and I am beyond excited (and terrified) to be a vessel used for His glory these next 30 days!  He will make me BRAVE!  So, let the adventure begin!

Oh, and as if I needed even more confirmation (Which, being the sheep I am, I totally do!), I am currently reading the book, Restless:  Because You Were Made for More, by Jennie Allen, which I highly recommend, by the way.  I received it in the mail the very same evening after the Holy Spirit whispered 1 Corinthians 2:9 to my heart.  The next day, as I was finishing up chapter 5, very appropriately titled 'Uncertainties' I might add, I almost dropped the book!  Yep, THIS on page 43! Oh. My. Word.

God is most definitely speaking loud and clear.  I just LOVE it when He does that!!! Now it's time for me to seek Him, listen and obey.  I can't wait to see what He's up to!  Until next time...