Listen...

I When I woke this morning just before six o'clock - my normal time for getting up - I start a conversation with God. He said to me 'just listen'. I tried to rationalise with Him but he said again 'listen'. And so I went to my normal place to pray, didn't do the things I normally do but just listened.

God reminded me of the importance of hearing Him. He brings a message of peace and of challenge. He brings comfort and, in the right way, disturbance.

I felt a little bit like Zecharaiah who was placed in a position of only being able to listen until he named his son John.

I felt a little like Joseph who listened to the voice of an angel to reassure him that his life was to be changed beyond imagining.

I felt like a shepherd in the darkness of the night having my normality changed and presented with the chance to witness God at work.

I felt like a disciple hearing 'come and follow me'.

My 'Advent wondering' has taken me many places in the last three weeks or so. To 'just' listen is a place I must visit more often...