"Forging ahead with lights and sirens"

One of the Learning Assignments last week for the Apprenticeship was reading a quote from Brother Yun, the Chinese house church leader, on the importance of hearing God's voice. Dean Cross, a battalion chief for a Fire Department in Sacramento, posted this great comment (see below) on Brother Yun's quote in his cohort's online discussion group.

John

As I was responding to a fire call today with multiple units responding, one of my duties is to make sure that all the fire units are on the same radio channel and so I do a roll call. If a unit does not respond to the roll call as I call them off, that typically means they are not on the tactical channel and are missing all the radio traffic that is associated with the incident. Although it was a false alarm today, one unit never did switch his radio to the right channel. He missed the fact that it was a false alarm and although the unit was cancelled, he continued to blaze to the address with lights and sirens.

I met the officer of the unit there and emphasised the importance of switching over to the assigned tactical channel for roll call and to hear what is going on with the incident. It reminded me of day nine in the CO2 e-book where Brother Yun talks about how if you aren't tuned in to God's fresh voice (channel) everyday you will be left behind as the children of Isreal were when they didn't follow the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. How many of us have been forging ahead with lights and sirens in our spiritual journeys when the call was cancelled because we weren't listening to what God is up to currently and preveniently. God is talking, but we are on the wrong radio frequency to hear His voice and so we forge ahead without Him. I'm glad I'm learning how to quiet myself, switch to the right radio channel and listen.

Here's the quote from the CO2 ebook...

Brother Yun wrote The Heavenly Man which is the amazing story of Godʼs work in China through house churches. Hereʼs his comment about the importance of hearing Godʼs voice…

"Another important thing every follower of Jesus must learn is that God's methods and strategies are never exactly the same in any two situations. It is futile to use a strategy God gave a hundred years ago, or last year, or even last week. He is not some kind of machine. He is a personal, intimate God, and His mercies are new every morning!

After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, they were led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. The children of Israel had to follow the Lord whenever the cloud or fire moved. If they were too slow, they would be left behind. We must hear His voice and receive His guidance everyday. When we do so, we will be amazed at the number of opportunities that open for us to share His love with people." Brother Yun, Living Water (p. 135)