Casandra Martin

The sign on the storefront said Hearing Solutions. I know the business is set up to serve people who need help with their physical hearing, but as I passed by I felt a tug at my heart. I wish there was a hearing solution for my soul.

Listening for the voice of God is essential for my soul’s well-being, but it is amazing how difficult it is. Our world is a noisy place. We live with the constant barrage of media, busyness, and opportunities for entertainment, success, and satisfaction all pulling for our attention. Even when I try to be quiet, the noise is deafening. My head and my heart keep up a constant storm of to-do lists, criticisms, wish-I-was-better-ats and what-else-do-I need-to-dos. All of this noise, the noise that hits me from every side as well as the noise that fills my mind, makes it hard to hear God’s voice.

It is no accident that the core statement of faith that God gave His people starts with the word “hear.” “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) Every day, as the people remembered the Lord and recommitted their hearts to serving Him, they reminded themselves that God’s first instruction is to hear. Hearing ignites obedience. Hearing shapes perception. Hearing lets the words of God’s soak deep down into our souls and transform who we are. Hearing shapes our priorities. Hearing lets us be aware of God’s presence, see His power, and walk in His purpose.

My Jesus Resolution today is to listen. There are no hearing aids for the heart, but God teaches us how to adjust our hearing so that we can listen to His voice. He tells us to be still and know that He is God. He knows that we need to be quiet in order to balance the deafening rumbles of the world with the eternity-soaked echoes of God. He tells us to learn to recognize His voice. This comes from spending time in His presence and time in His Word. Listening isn’t easy in a world that encourages us to shout and scream and claim our place on the stage. Listening, though, is the key to unlocking the transformation that will help us look like Jesus.

There is an older gentleman at church whom I adore. He looks just like my grandfather. He is gentle, has a ready smile, and is always willing to help someone in need. One of the neatest things about him is his nickname. His family and close friends call him Honest. I don’t know the story behind his nickname, but I do find it intriguing.

The people who know him best gave him a nickname that says something powerful about his heart. Every time they call him by his nickname, he is reminded of who he is, of the special traits others see in him, and the standard he is called to live by. If your family and close friends could pick one word to describe you, what nickname would they give you?

It is an interesting question. Many of us don’t like the first word that pops into our heads. So then the question becomes who do you want to be? Pick one word that you would like to have describe who you are. Now think about what you need to do in order to make that word come to life in your life. You have a tremendous amount of say in what other people say about you. You get to decide what others see in you, how you make others feel, and the impression that you want to leave behind.

My Jesus Resolution today is to pick my nickname. It might be Joyful, Generous, Wise, Patient, Confident, or even Honest. I want to look in the mirror and through the pieces of my day and decide what I can do to bring that nickname to life. Striving to have that kind of nickname inspires me to measure my actions, taste my words, and weigh my motives. Just like Honest, I want the name I wear to not only say something about my character, but about the Savior whose grace makes all things possible.

Today is Labor Day – a day in which Americans stop and recognize the contribution made to our country by workers and laborers. We celebrate by taking the day off of work and enjoy time together with family and friends. Labor Day is seen as a transition time between summer and fall. Today is also a good day to stop and listen to God speak about the work He calls us to do.

1. God calls us to abound in good works.      1 Corinthians 15:58
2. Our works are to proclaim His glory.         Matthew 5:16
3. Our good works can be seen by all.            1 Timothy 5:25
4. Stir each other up to good works.               Hebrews 10:24
5. We are to commit our work to the Lord.    Proverbs 16:3
6. The work of God is to believe in Jesus.      John 6:29
7. Work for the Lord, rather than men.          Colossians 3:23
8. Bible study prepares us for good works.    2 Timothy 3:16-17
9. We are created for good works.                   Ephesians 2:10
10. Our good works bear fruit for God.            Colossians 1:10e

My Jesus Resolution today is recommit to doing good works in the Lord. Saved by grace, the things I do and the actions I engage in reveal the transformation being worked by God in my life. The deeper my surrender the more my works take on the character of Jesus. I want all of my labor to be a labor of love for the Savior who showed His great love for me.