May
29
2015
The Nudge
Posted in Salvation 2 Comments
They had stayed there along enough.
She wanted to be obedient.
She knew that her good manners were expected.
But she wanted her mom to know that it was time to go.
She had a birthday party to go to later that afternoon.
If they left now, she would get home just in time.
She didn’t want to interrupt.
So she gave her mom a nudge.
They were at a dinner party down the street.
The conversation was centered on the newest purchases, the latest accomplishment.
He had enough.
He wasn’t envious; it’s just that one can only take so much of the pronoun, “I.”
His wife said they had to go to the dinner party.
They had to make an appearance.
The appearance was made the niceties were said.
It was time to go so he gave his wife a nudge.
They were sitting in church.
The sermon was a bit longer than usual.
She could feel the restlessness in her children that were sitting beside her.
They had done so well for the past hour; she was so proud of them.
When the sermon was still on its final point, the littlest one started to fuss.
She gave him the mother stare that he knew so well.
Nothing seemed to work; he had reached his limit for sitting still.
She was training young hearts; this mattered, so she gave her son a nudge.
A nudge, that small nonverbal gesture.
Nudge, as defined in the dictionary, means to push against gently.
One nudges in order to gain attention or to give a signal.
A nudge gets the point across beautifully.
I have done my own amount of nudging.
I have been the recipient of nudges.
There is another definition of nudging that intrigues me.
Nudge also means: to come close, to come near, to prod lightly, or to urge.
It is this meaning of nudging that I have been pondering.
It is this meaning of nudging that I hear every week in church.
If God is speaking to your heart…our pastor says after the sermon.
He is really saying something very simple.
God nudges.
If God is nudging you, you must pay attention.
God will nudge you in such a quiet way that you may ask, Was that God?
God will nudge you in such an obvious way you do not even have to question.
If God is nudging, it is very important for you to pay attention.
If God is speaking, it is vital that you listen.
If God is calling, it is crucial that you answer.
If God is teaching, it is necessary that you learn from Him.
The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord. The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if He calls you say, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Then the Lord came and stood there calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:1-10)
God nudged Samuel.
Samuel did not yet know the Lord.
The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
Once the word of the Lord is revealed to you, God’s nudge is recognized.
Eli, older and wiser, knew that the Lord was calling Samuel.
Sometimes we need someone further along in their spiritual journey to help us.
We need help discerning the nudge of God.
Sometimes, it is hard to know who is doing the nudging.
God is relentless.
God will not stop calling until we answer.
God’s call is irrevocable.
God’s call demands a response from us.
God’s nudge is not something you run away from.
Many have tried.
Their attempts at running away always fail.
God nudges because He wants you to come close, to come near Him.
God nudges with such grace.
God prods lightly.
God urges you to come to Him.
God nudges you away from the world and its trappings and brings you to Himself.
Don’t ignore the nudge of God.
God’s nudge demands an answer.
Do you feel the prodding of your soul?
Your only response: Speak, for your servant is listening.
Thank you for this message. I am going to say this each day. This really touched my heart today.
Monty,
I am so delighted that you were blessed. I need the lesson of these words as well. The nudge of God, the most important nudge there is!
Gina