Radio Tidbits
I try to consider how whatever I’m exposed to might be used to improve me. This includes secular movies and TV shows. If you’ve read some of these devotions, you’ve seen references to MASH, The Andy Griffith Show, The Matrix and more.
I listen to a Christian radio station and, this week, I’ve heard a few comments by the DJs that I intend to keep in mind for the future.
The first one came from a DJ who commented on an online sermon she had watched. She said she hadn’t really considered how often she lies. The pastor’s sermon pointed out that every time you are asked how you are and you reply “fine” but don’t mean it, you are lying. We all go through things and, at least for myself, every time I answer “fine,” I’m not always telling the complete story. Even worse, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve asked someone how they are while not expecting a detailed answer. Lying can be on both sides of that common question.
“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.” - Psalm 120:1-2 ESV
The second one I heard was regarding something the DJ referred to as “heaven nudges,” which she defined as those times when you feel nudged to reach out to a person or when you see a beautiful sunset and are reminded of God’s majesty. I think we’ve all experienced something like that in our past. A related comment I heard just this morning is that sometimes God uses trials and tribulations to get you closer to him. This is just a different type of heaven nudge.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” - John 14:26
The third (or is it the fourth) one I heard regarded recovering from a relationship that changed in some significant way. It may be that you (ok, I) had to change due to the impact on your faith. Whatever the source or cause of the change in the relationship, the DJ pointed out that grief is part of the healing process.
Let me give you a minor example. I’ve experienced a form of grief many times upon the conclusion of a class I really enjoyed. I became sad knowing the class was over and we wouldn’t be meeting again.
“My joy is gone; grief is upon me; my heart is sick within me.” - Jeremiah 8:18
God gave us two ears and one mouth. I’ve always liked this saying that we should listen twice as much as we speak. I believe we can find nuggets of wisdom everywhere if we open ourselves up to that possibility.
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” - James 1:19-27
