Is That Really You, God?

[Keri's Post]
Chris and I have been talking about the subject matter of my posts and how I’m trying to find a topic or a goal like he has. Chris’ goal is to reach people with a Christian perspective on current events. Well, we’ve decided that my goal should be “Baby Christians.” People who are new to the faith might not understand all of the stuff Chris talks about on ChristianEye; they need to start out on the milk before we move them up to steak and potatoes...

“Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?” 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

The way that I interpret this scripture is that God is telling his followers that they aren’t ready to understand some of the larger concepts. They still need to learn what it means to be Christian, to listen for his voice and learn how to obey. That is what my post is about today learning to obey the voice of the Lord.

Yesterday I went to the store to pick up a few things Chris and I needed for the house. Of course it’s a weekend and I’m a girl, so I did a little bit of browsing as well. I came across a t-shirt that I really liked so I put it in my cart and went to the checkout. I’m always the unfortunate person who gets stuck behind the customer who breaks the check-out machine or needs something special. So I was standing there while she was waiting for a manager to solve whatever pricing problem she had.

This gave me the time to reconsider what was in my cart and make a mental price check. Among the butter, toothpaste and other items there was this T-shirt that was going to cost me $7.95. Here I was at the checkout and I thought, I don’t really need that shirt, why am I getting it? Then because I’ve been practicing praying in all things, I prayed and asked God if I should get this shirt. He told me no, that I didn’t need it and while money isn’t tight for me right now, I need to stop spending frivolously.

Then I did what most Christians do when they get that kind of answer from their heavenly father. I asked the question, “Is that really you God? How do I know that I’m really hearing your voice?” He gently reminded me that there is no way for me to know if it’s really him this time unless I simply obey. I then apologized to the Lord and gave the clerk this t-shirt to put back that I had wanted so badly to begin with, but it wasn’t all that appealing anymore.

This is the way that God teaches you to hear him. He teaches with the littlest decision and smallest detail. Most people would think that this illustration was tiny and insignificant considering all that God can do in our lives. But what may I ask is more significant than learning to hear the Lord and simply obeying him?