Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Spiritual "Nudges"

The women's Bible study group I'm in started lessons in January focused on building an awareness of what the author calls the Holy Spirit’s “nudges.” 


The author, Billy Graham's daughter Anne Graham Lotz, maps out verse by verse exercises to be completed over a number of weeks.


At times in the past I have felt enlightened, comforted, informed, chastised or uplifted by various scripture passages. 


In the first few sessions in the group study and in the at home assignments, however, I had been totally "un-nudged." 


But today as I was continuing my yearly read through of the Bible, I experienced a definite nudge at Psalm 143:10.


Psalm 143:10 NIV Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10 NIV


Navigating my rollator through elevation changes and rough surfaces has become a bit unnerving in the past five months. But those words were a nudge to trust as I go.


I suspect that the bubble of laughter I experienced was a gift straight from the Father!

Not all translations say "on level ground."

That sentence in the King James Version, for example, is "Lead me in the land of uprightness."


That difference doesn't bother me. Next year I will be reading the King James version translation and that sentence may be just what I need at that moment.


-30-





7 comments:

  1. I think HE was speaking just to you!

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  2. this is great news, that no only were you nudged but you got the gift of laughter, and at your own self

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  3. (((hugs))) I wish I could do that to you in person.
    I completely understand how verses hit us at different times and for different circumstances.
    The MESSAGE translation says: Teach me how to live to please you, because you are my God.
    Lead me by your blessed Spirit into cleared and level pastureland.
    A few verses before that David is saying "point out the road I must travel...so my take is ....Pointing the way...Teaching me...Leading me...precious promises that I must put into practice.
    Praise God for His nudges.

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  4. That is just like our God, to show you exactly what you needed today, God is so faithful and gives us just what we need

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  5. A friend and I read a daily devotion...and then the bible passage...so many times it is exactly what we need to hear. Today, the extra reading was Psalm 24:1-10, and then the read through the bible part was Numbers 5 and 6..and Numbers 6: 24-26 really was a blessing (The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
    25 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
    26 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’)

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  6. I'm in a study group (since 1996). At this point we study the portion of the week. I sometimes read it and think "I can't imagine what I'll get out of this," and after a couple of hours there is almost always something that really speaks to me.
    On a different note, I really got into walking after spinal surgery. One of the surgeons I consulted said just about the best thing I could do for my spinal cord (I had a tumor removed from my spinal cord) was walking to keep the cord healthy. On days I don't feel like it, I remember his advice and I take it as a medical prescription. His advice has really been a blessing to me.

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  7. I love how different verses pop out at different times. That's probably why it's called the living word? Sometimes it's a verse I may have read many, many times before and suddenly I'm reading it again and it's so timely it's speaking to my heart in a way it never did before.

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