“for the Father Himself [tenderly] loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from the Father.” John 16:27 AMP

I can remember playing Marco Polo in the swimming pool with friends when we were kids…I never liked being Marco. I have always had issues with trust, so the vulnerability I felt wandering around the pool with my eyes closed, knowing I was surrounded by people, was just a little too intense for me. I can still hear it in my mind, “Marco…” followed by the answering, “Polo!” I found it unsettling to have the voices constantly shifting position, never knowing whether someone was sitting at the opposite end of the pool, or within arms reach.

Something people often struggle with is being unable to see God with their human eyes. At times it can feel like the worst game of Marco Polo ever. It is so easy to feel like we are shouting out, “MARCO” at the top of our lungs, but are getting no response. This leaves us feeling isolated and alone. We are looking for a response in a form we can easily identify, the proverbial, “POLO!” We want to hear it loud and strong in our ears. We want our eyes wide open so we are able to zero in on that response and cling to it like the life raft we so desperately need.

The thing is that God doesn’t typically respond in the way we want. There is a reason His guidance comes to us in a still small voice. Have you ever tried to have an important conversation with someone in a loud, crowded restaurant? It feels nearly impossible to say the things you really want to say. Communication that is of great value is most effective in calm, quiet surroundings. Some of the deepest conversations I’ve had with my precious sister have taken place either in one of our cars, on the beach, or in the quiet, early morning hours in her living room. Those are the same places I have the best fellowship with my Heavenly Father, too.

God is not going to shout instructions and answers at us when we are allowing our minds to be filled with the roar of the world and the lies of the adversary. He is relying on us to force ourselves into a quiet place, whatever that looks like for us individually, so we are able to focus on Him and listen for that still, small voice. I am learning that there are ways to feel His spirit and move into His presence, even in the midst of chaos. With the help of an extraordinary worship pastor, I’ve gained valuable insight into how music can be used as a form of communion with the Lord.

For the last two days, I’ve had one song rolling constantly through my mind. The song is titled, “Place of Freedom,” and I’ve been listening to a recording by Highlands Worship. The song opens with these words, “There’s a calm that covers me, when I kneel down at your feet. It’s a place of healing, it’s a place where I find freedom. There’s a place my eyes can’t see, where my spirit longs to be. It’s a place of healing. It’s a place I live in freedom.” The solace that I have been finding in these words and in this music has been indescribable. I was blessed to hear my friend Katie sing this song during one Sunday service not too long ago, and it has been a staple in my mental communion with God ever since.

I desire to keep every aspect of my human life focused on the things of God, and though I know I’m a long way from total success in that endeavor, I will never stop striving to reach that goal. I want to set down my worries and concerns regarding the things of the world, and keep my spirit focused on the things of the Father. What is it in your life that ties you to worldly woes? What are you doing to set those things down, putting them in their proper perspective? Are you trying to do it on your own, or are you asking God to help you discern what those things look like and what He wants you to do with them? Are your prayers filled with requests for what you need God to do for you, or do you ever ask what YOU can do for HIM??

“Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever–because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God–both now and forever].” Romans 8:6 AMP