Dec 18th - non verbal communication

I was sitting in church yesterday behind baby Florence and her parents.  She is about nine months old and as gorgeous as all little ones are at that age.  Utterly dependent on the adults in her life she spent most of the service in Mum or Dad's arms and fell asleep during the sermon only waking up at the end.  She was on her Dad's shoulder during the worship which meant she was smiling and waving and eyeballing me the whole time.  I couldnt focus on singing at all.  I was mesmerised by her.

As I watched her I began to feel God show me how much He loves His kids.  Of course we know this and we have all watched young children and felt that Holy Spirit nudge of comparison.  But today I saw something a bit different.    Florence can't talk yet.  But that didnt stop her from communicating with her Dad.  He was blowing raspberries at her - and she was copying him with her little tongue sticking out.  She saw me clapping my hands and she clapped hers.  She was playing peek a boo from behind her Dad's neck and grinning at me broadly when she caught my eye.  There was so much going on.  But not a word was spoken.

God speaks to us all the time.  But sometimes He doesnt use words.  Just as in yesterday's post I was thinking about showing the world what He is like in our actions every bit as much as in our words, I was struck by how much of God's love comes to us in ' non-verbal' ways.   Im sure you can think of many ways in which you have understood, felt, recognised His love to you......  here are a couple of my stories.

I remember years ago when I was a social worker there was a period of several weeks - maybe months- when I was driving to work every day to Loanhead from Portobello.  Every day in the car I would just have this sense of God's hand on my head.  He didnt say anything.  There was no scripture going through my mind or anything.  But I had an overwhelming sense of His favour on me.  Particularly favour at work.  It was so clear.  And amazing.   Several times Ive been on the beach and I've found stones with messages in them.  I have one piece of rock which has three perfect crosses woven into the grain - its entirely natural rock formation and entirely supernatural that I should have found that one rock on a beach of a gazillion rocks.   I also found a black stone with a perfectly shaped pink heart in it.  And more recently I found one with a fish shape on it.  I suppose when you spend your spare time collecting stones to paint .........😊   Each time I find something like that I know it is a wee gift from my Father who just wants to make me smile.  No words necessary

In these days many people are wondering how to hear God's voice for the first time.  And loads of us who have heard Him for years go through spells when He seems to go very quiet and we wonder what has happened.   Maybe we need to become like little children again - trust that He has us in His arms and that sometimes He has no need for words.  His strong embrace, His loving gaze, the touch of His hand on our face is enough.

And sometimes He wants to blow a raspberry at us.

It delights His heart when we get the joke and blow one right back


Ps.  Guess what?  Raspberry blowing is good for babies development!!  Who knew?!
http://www.chicagoparent.com/learn/health-fitness/raspberries-spit-bubbles-just-drooly-fun-good-developing-babies/