Image: By Matt Olson, Flickr.com, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0[/caption]
Stories sown in the heart remain with you forever. It is one of the ways God speaks to us. Do you remember the story of Moses and His encounter with the living God? I bet Moses never forgot that day. You can almost hear him say to his sister Miriam and brother Aaron, “I remember the day I met God, as if it was yesterday.”
I can almost hear his family members reply, "Oh Moses, not that story again, we have heard it 100 times." It probably did not stop Moses from sharing it again.
My friend Ginny told a story one time that still remains in my heart. We all know that teachers tell the best stories especially if they were formerly nuns, as was my friend Ginny. She said that she was talking to the class about Moses encountering God in the burning bush. She had her class’s undivided attention, so she was sure that they grasped the Bible story.
She paused a moment and asked the class, “How did God call Moses?” One little boy raised his hand with a ready smile, assured that he knew the answer. “Johnny,” she asked, “How did God call Moses?”
Standing proudly by his seat and in an almost grown up voice, Johnny replied, “Moses, Moses.”
God calls us all by name, doesn’t He? Every time I hear the story of Moses I too chuckle.
One day I was speaking in Macon, Georgia, at an Aglow meeting. Before I began, the team gathered around me to pray over me. One gal prayed, “May Ellen speak out of her ear.” Laughter filled the hearts of all of us in the prayer circle, all but one sister who had led the prayer. She looked at me with sincerity and explained, “I am so embarrassed, I just prayed that you would speak out of your ear.”
I looked back at her with the assurance only God can give and replied, “Oh, but I do!” She looked perplexed until I explained, “I do speak out of my ear. I listen to God’s still, small voice whisper in my ear what I am to say, then I speak it out”
Moses heard God from the burning bush.
Samuel learned God’s voice from the priest Eli.
The disciples heard Jesus’ voice calling them to follow.
Even at the cross as three were dying, the thief on one side of Christ was able to recognize God’s voice.
Do you know the voice of God?
Can you hear Him call you by name?
We are living in uncertain times. At a time, such as this, we must be still in prayer and listen for God’s voice in our hearts. Now is a time of grace and mercy, a time to draw closer to God more than ever before. It is a time to hear Him call us by name, to be assured of His love, and to tell the Good News.
Like Moses before us, we must tell the stories of our encounters with Christ. Recount to others the faith that is alive in our hearts. Tell the stories to those who have heard them 100 times and those who never encountered Christ before. It is a time to stir the faith and not be silent. Your testimony may stir the faith of another to be sown in their heart for all eternity.
We are aware of the instructions that St. Francis told his followers, “Preach the gospel wherever you go, and when necessary use words.” I was contemplating St. Francis’ words in prayer one day. Finally, I prayed, “No disrespect to St. Francis or Jesus, but for a time such as this, words are necessary.”
God said in His word, “If you be silent, the very rocks will cry out with praise to my name.”
Faithful, Catholic moms, for lent God led me to add a five-minute series called Take 5 to my already existing YouTube podcasts, Ellen Mongan Wow Mom. It is my way of speaking out about my Catholic faith.
How will you pass the faith on? I encourage you to tell the story that is already alive in your heart.
Copyright 2020 Ellen Mongan
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