Verbals, Non-Verbals, and Good, Old Action

SCRIPTURE:  “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. Psalm 91:14 NIV

THOUGHT: I was once coached by a brilliant but practical friend to stop listening to communication from a certain person at all, watching their actions instead. The results were astonishing as I got clarity about how words and actions weren’t lining up and, in a happy coincidence, also learned something about trusting God.

Research shows that upwards of 90% of what we receive in a conversation relies on non-verbal signals. If that’s true, our relationship with an invisible God must grow based on his word and his action – in history as well as within our own relationship to him. We can’t see his eyes, but do we trust they are ever upon us (2 Chronicles 16:9)? We can’t see his facial expressions and almost never get to hear his audible voice, but do we trust Zephaniah when he tells us God “will take great delight in you,” and “will rejoice over you with singing? (Zep. 3:17)” We can’t read his gestures but do we believe that  his “mighty hand and outstretched arm” exists as the Old Testament claims 12 times? https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=mighty+hand+outstretched+arm&version=NIV). And on it goes….

My point here is this: the less you can take in non-verbals, the more you must trust the source of communication. Promises of God, like the one found in Psalm 91:14, “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name,” rely on a relationship born out of faith and trust that form a foundation for our love, based on God’s integrity and faithfulness.

SONG: Psalm 91 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc8thQQl6Bs

PRAYER: Oh God, you are the embodiment of faithfulness, of love in action. Keep opening the eyes of my spirit to your ways. Your trustworthiness sets the standard by which I must discern the verbal and non-verbal communication of the rest of the world.