As I walk and pray in silence, it is not unusual for me (or others who pray) to hear inaudible words (like a locution), presumably from God. I believe that it is God Who speaks to me, and to all. Many do not care to listen for God, or are not able due to spiritual incapacities. I admit that, due to preoccupations, I do not “hear” God as much or as often as I would like. I have simply been distracted. I would like to get much closer again.
Though, recently, I have had time to meditate and pray more. I have been working to improve my soul and have been reaching out to God to know Him in my heart even more.
This morning, I sensed His Presence in me and I heard “Choose.” For lack of a prepared response, I hastily prayed, “I choose You as my King and Master, my Lord and Savior.” And then I looked up in the sky and saw three very large vultures circling over my head about 50 feet up.
I thought, “I’m a dead man walking.” Then, I thought of this verse immediately:
“Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. ” [Matthew 24:28, NAB Holy Bible]
And then I thought to myself, “How proud I am that I should think that I can choose God. In fact, it is He who has the power to choose me.” Where is my humility before God? I must have a high opinion of myself.
I continued to walk, and I prayed to God for humility like that of Jesus Christ, that I might emulate Him totally in my life. I did not pray this without fear. I mean, to emulate Jesus Christ is a very tall order, and it can (and will?) come with great hardship! Of course, I would rather be able to be most humble without hardship. But who am I to know how best to grow in humility?
And then, shortly after my prayers for humility, I heard geese, and then looked up, and there was a flock of geese coming directly toward me and then over me. They were very loud, too.
A flock of Canada geese in formation
That made me feel better, that God had heard my prayer and accepted my request for more humility, like that of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
The goose, as a symbol, means providence and vigilance. Providence means “divine guidance and care” and vigilance means “the quality or state of carefully noticing problems or signs of danger.”
So, I think that is affirmation of my recognition of my bumbling into pride and God’s immediate help in exposing where I need improvement.
But why did I hear “Choose.”?
Theo-Logis 