Receiving the Father’s signals ∙

Receiving the Father’s signals ∙

Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. – Isaiah 30:21

Isaiah 30:15-20

 15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.

 18 So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.

 20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.

Hall of Fame coach, Paul Brown, originated the use of NFL headsets in 1956. John Campbell and George Sarles approached him with an idea. They had developed a small radio receiver that could be placed inside a quarterback’s helmet, allowing for communication from the sideline.

It was first tested in a preseason game against Detroit. A Lions coach saw the transmitter and complained to the league. Commissioner Bert Bell outlawed the devices. They were banned for almost 40 years. In 1994, the NFL approved a radio communication system between the sidelines and the quarterback.

Today’s headsets are lightweight, comfortable, and durable. They allow coaches to communicate with each other on the sidelines and to relay play calls to the quarterback. One defensive player can receive communication from the opposing coach. The sound comes out of two round, orange speakers in the helmet, behind the quarterback’s ears. Since 2014 they are manufactured exclusively by Bose, using their noise-canceling technology.

Today, the modern game of NFL football utilizes continual communication between the coach and the leaders of the offense and the defense on the field.

As children of the King, we have been given the ability to have and maintain continual communication as well. We speak to the Father through prayer and intercession. The Father answers us in a myriad of ways to show us how to execute His game plan (Hebrews 1:1). He speaks through the Scriptures. He communicates with us through people He places into our lives. Some children of the King have the incredible privilege of hearing His voice or seeing dreams and visions. Why has the Father established two-way continual communication with us? He wants to call the plays. He wants us to depend upon Him for direction to be most effective and carry out His plan. In American football, highly trained, experienced, and skilled players listen to their coach, the leader of our team.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father is the best signal-caller there is. He has a terrific game plan conceived in eternity past. He has considered all contingencies for every situation. He always knows in advance what the opposition is planning to do

Father, You promised to guide me as I hear Your voice as I walk with You. Teach me to actively listen, trust, and follow You.

INSIGHT

Tragically it seems to be almost inevitable, that many children of the King stop listening, go our own way, and veer off course. Like sheep, we wander off and become disoriented. The result is collateral damage. Our ability to hear, see and follow directions is diminished. It is as though we are wearing earplugs and very thick, dark sunglasses. We manage to switch channels and no longer hear His signal. Perhaps all we hear is silence or white noise. Or worse, we hear many other voices. But the voices are not the Father speaking to us (1 John 4:1).

When we lose our connection, the Father continues to transmit. He is always there to provide direction and comfort. That’s just Who He is. We need only to tune back in.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

This is nothing less than pure grace and kindness. He promises to guide us when we ask Him.

Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.

Isaiah 30:20-21

 20 The sovereign master will give you distress to eat and suffering to drink, but your Teacher will no longer be hidden; your eyes will see him.

 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

But it takes more than seeing and listening. It is incumbent upon every child of the King to focus, hear, trust, and obey. Because of our fallen human nature, we try things that we think might work. But such efforts prove futile. Yet, we seem to drift further and further away. We are all too ready to place our trust in useless, vain alternatives. It is almost as though we are too proud and self-affected the place our trust in the Father.

Psalms 33:16-17

 16 The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.

 17 Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory – for all its strength, it cannot save you.

Yet, there is always the faithful few who strive to do the right thing no matter what. These children of the King choose to depend upon the Father alone. They seek to bask in the sunshine of His loyal love.

Psalms 33:18-22

 18 The LORD takes notice of his loyal followers, on those who hope in his steadfast love.

 19 He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.

 20 We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield.

 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

 22 Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.

The faithful children of the King wait in hope for deliverance from the Father as their faithful, dependable source of help.

The Hebrew word translated hope or wait in Psalm 33:22 is yachal. Yachal has the sense of looking forward. “This is hope in its surest form: patient (20a), confident (20b), buoyant (21a), informed (21b; the name of God means his revealed character: see Exodus 34:5–7); above all, focused not on the gift . . . but on the Giver. Such hope ‘will never disappoint us’ (Romans 5:5, Phillips)” (Kidner).

“The verb carries the meaning of trust, of waiting with an attitude of joyful expectation and confident hope. It is as if the worshipers cannot wait to begin anew the life of trust in such a God. “He is our help and our shield.” What confidence! What incentive to victorious living! With such a God as this, his people can go forth with joyful hearts, since they do put their trust in him” (Tesh and Zorn).

A world of enormous joy and fulfillment opens up to children of the King as they trust in the Father. They desire and pray that His unfailing love will surround and embrace them.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 2-28-2