From my experience it seems that we are, most of the time, best able to hear the Gooses’ voice in the quiet. When we retreat from the normal hustle and bustle of Life we can learn or train ourselves to “get quiet” and hear Him. I have personally found this to be true. As an avid outdoors man, I love to get outside, especially in the Mountains! The best times I have had with the Lord are when I am in the Mountains hiking and getting quiet. Jesus modeled this over and over again! In Luke 4:42- “At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place.” Luke 5:16- “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 6:12- “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”

Hiking, biking, jogging, camping etc. These are great ways to keep your walk with God fresh! In looking back over my 35 years with God, I definitely see a correlation of how strong my walk is in relation to how much I am getting away and quiet. Busyness and responsibilities drain us and leave us more vulnerable to Satanic attack! If the sinless Son of God realized this and made it a point to regularly retreat, how much greater is our need?!  Since I believe that God operates and communicates at the heart level, I am convinced we must get quiet and away to allow the Spirit to communicate with us on this deep level.

Our culture lives on the surface and it is so easy to get pulled along the massive flow of surfaceness! I don’t know if that’s a word, but I like it! Surfaceness! The act of living a shallow life! If I am going to live a “powerful” life for God I must stay plugged in to the source of power and allow my heart to hear His. I am reminded of Hebrews 12. This is one of my all-time favorite passages! It speaks of remembering, of fixing our eyes, of letting go, of running the race God has for us! This passage really sums up my Wild Goose Chase! We must remember we are His children and expect his discipline for that’s what a loving father does. I love the visual image of “throwing off” anything that hinders us and keeps us from living free, victorious, and powerful lives! Note: God/Wild Goose, has a race marked out for each of us! Is that awesome or what! He has an amazing race full of adventure in store for me and you. It is up to us to find it! At times, it may seem like looking for a needle in a haystack. Hang on and don’t panic! Keep pressing in and getting quite. The Wild Goose will find you and lead the way! Just keep walking and listening.

Hebrews 12
God Disciplines His Sons
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”[a]

7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
Each time I think back on my Wild Goose Chase, especially over the last 5 months, I find my self in awe of God’s love for me. That His thoughts toward little old me are more than I can imagine! Knowing that I am not worthy of such “royal” treatment fills me with a deep gratitude and joy that I believe one of my “heroes” lived with… that Shepherd boy…. David… Now there was a man who lived at the heart level. And, where do you think David honed his relationship with God?…… In the wilderness!   So, my friends…. Get out there and get quiet and let the Wild Goose speak to your heart! WARNING: If you do this- be prepared for a wild ride with the Goose!

Blessings, Jon

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