The Muse and the Call of God

The Muse came calling early this morning. That is, earlier than the clock radio would have gone off if it had been set.

 She was pretty insistent that I get up and write. Strange, really, because She hasn’t called on me much lately -- and suddenly decided to visit me! Who on Earth does She think She is, and what on Earth does She think She’s doing?

I want to ask Her why She’s bothering me now, after not having visited me for so long. And to make a sudden appearance at the doorway to my creativity when not called upon? But that’s the nature of the Muse. You have  to be ready to answer the Call, to make the walk to your computer, sit down, and face the hollow page.

Fortunately, the Muse has given me inspiration, a topic, and something to put on paper. For starters, talking about Her. I don’t know if She likes to be talked about in this way. She likes to come and go – somewhat like the unseen wind -- showing up at inopportune moments, demanding to be heard, insistent upon being taken notice of. But talk about her? She might take off and leave me stranded with nothing to say! Particularly if what I say about her isn’t complimentary. But then, why would I ‘Diss’ her when She comes to help?

Dear Muse, it has been so long since You last showed up, and I am wondering ‘why now?’ What is it that You have for me, what is it that You want me to say? Is it an insight, a flash of inspiration, a world-shattering revelation? Something ‘Mankind’ needs to hear, or a whisper that brings understanding and a solution to a current problem? Is it personal or communal, for just me, or for someone else?

Often, when the Muse decides to visit, it is because She has a tidbit that is needed, a piece of the puzzle that has been missing, a clue to a nagging problem. Her absence has been quite problematic in itself, and Her arrival on this day is a welcome surprise! I could have ignored Her, and stayed in bed. I could try to shut Her out, but then I risk offending Her and losing the benefit of Her accumulated wisdom. “Do not quench the Spirit of God.”

I am sure She has visited others who were waiting for Her to show up, but didn’t know it. I am sure others have waited for inspiration, and didn’t know where to find Her. I am sure others have waited for Her to come calling, only to find, Not Today. And I find that if I ignore Her, She will shout from the rooftops to get someone to pay attention. She’s like that. She makes you think that you are special in having Her call on you, but then if you spurn Her, She will tell others what She had intended for you. And who wants that? “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.”

What She tells you in the dark, She intends for you to reveal in the light of day. That is the way She works, and She trusts you with her knowledge, wisdom, insight, and understanding. In fact, Her name is ‘Wisdom.’ And She is not averse to shouting from the rooftops that which She knows. She really is there for everyman who will listen. It is a wise man who listens to Her counsel. “Wisdom cries aloud in the streets!”

I have to admit there is part of me that doesn’t want to listen to what The Muse has to say. But there is also part of me that is honoured to be visited and to be ‘in on’ what She has to say. John the Revelator says: “Let Him who has ears, hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.” We fail to listen to our own detriment. It takes a trained ear to listen, to hear, and to obey the call of God through Her. But it is open to everyman who is called by the Spirit of God, “for all who are led by the Spirit, these are called the children of God.”

There is Another who calls us by name. To be called, to be chosen, is the prerogative of God. For whom He foreknew, He predestined, and whom He has chosen before the foundation of the world, He has also called. He has set apart the godly for Himself. And He has chosen good works for them to walk in. “For we are saved by Grace, and that is not of ourselves, it is the FREE GIFT of God by faith, so that no man should boast.”

And that Faith comes by Hearing, and that Hearing by the Word of God. “To all who received Him, He gave the right, power and authority to become the Children of God.” And that is what we are if we listen to and obey His Spirit.

“My sheep know my voice, and they know me, and follow me” the Good Shepherd said.

Do you hear Him calling you today? Are you willing to follow Him wherever He may lead?

He also said that to see the Kingdom of Heaven, “You must be Born Again.” That is, to be born of the Father, by the Holy Spirit, not of man, or the will of man, or the power and strength of man, but by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit.

“Not by power, nor by strength, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord.

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father, but by Me,” the Saviour said.

Do you not hear His voice calling you by Name? Are you willing to respond?

“Now is the Day of Salvation.”

“Now is our Salvation nearer than when we first believed.”

“If I go away, I will prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself, that where I am, you may be also.”

Pardon et moi, Excuse et moi, Pardon my French...

Excuse my French, but I am a brilliant writer -- even if I say so myself -- and even though my mind feels like mush, with the medications I am on to keep my thought life and emotions stable, I believe that is just the ‘State of Mind’ I need to be in to create something absolutely marvelous.

If we are too concrete, too solid, there is no room for creativity to swirl around and produce something fresh, something of note, something of worth, something that will last and stand the Test of Time.

Writing, like life, needs flexibility, the ability to flex, and be fluid, moveable, transparent, adjustable and adaptable. We need the ability to change our minds, to prefer something other than ‘standard fare.’ The diet of standard fare is for the masses, the ‘Un-thinking’ ones, those who will soak up just about anything that is dished out to them, and believe it to be true.

I want to ‘dish out’ more than tripe, more than fodder, more than just plain old trash. I want to write something that will stop people dead in their tracks, yet move them at the core of their beings. Yes, ‘shake, rattle, and roll.’ I intend to stir up people to think outside the box, to renew their thinking patterns, to leave their old, well-worn ways of thinking about things, to question their hidden core beliefs and to examine them in the fresh light of a new day, a day they haven’t lived before. I want them to rethink their old ways so that if something is really and realistically, ‘truly true’, they will know it at the core of their beings and their belief system. A rut is just a grave hole with both ends knocked out.

At its least harmful, Doubt is well worth examining – at least once in a lifetime, if not more. We do not grow by not questioning, by not examining, by not scrutinizing, our thinking. If we truly ‘doubt our doubts and believe our beliefs’, the Truth will shine through, and found to be of worth, and our belief systems will prove themselves to be worthy of our trust, our belief. If our beliefs cannot stand the time of trial, the time of testing, they might not be worthy of our trust. Let us endeavor to be worthy of our beliefs, and in turn, find our beliefs to be worthy of our trust in them. Let us move on from a milk feed diet, and start to grapple with meat, real meat, meat that can provide nourishment and nutrition for our souls.

That way we can leave ‘the elementary things’ behind and grow into Maturity.

Please allow me to temporarily interrupt your normal thought processes and to challenge your normal thinking patterns to enable you to determine if your thinking is straight, if your belief system is accurate in terms of reality, and if your doubts are really that disastrous...if at all damaging to your psyche and injurious to your soul.

 In the Book of Romans, the Apostle Paul says that 'right thinking leads to right actions.' It will also determine your destiny. The Psalmist says that 'the Fool says in his heart that there is no God.'

So, in the spirit of 'Peace on Earth and Goodwill to Men,' let me ask you if your belief is real, if your doubts are troublesome or problematic, if your thoughts are logical, etc., etc., etc...

Take a moment to sit back in your favorite chair, close your eyes, and imagine. Imagine that if your thinking is off-kilter, faulty, disastrous, or just plain "stinking thinking." Ask yourself, Where will you end up with thinking like that? If your thinking is illogical, inaccurate, or just plain dumb, where will that lead you?

Now, don't write me to let me know where you are in 'the process,' but turn your thoughts God-ward, and prayerfully ask Him to lead you by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to redirect your thinking into paths of Truth, Righteousness, Holiness and Justice.