I hear chirping

"Let heaven and nature sing!"  It's not just a phrase from the wonderful old Christmas carol, "Joy To The World."  "All nature sings, and 'round me rings the music of the spheres..." another reminder in the words of a great old hymn, "This Is My Father's World."  It's true, nature is at its best in the springtime.  Everything seems vibrant and alive again, and that's the plan.  Yes, nature sings.

And so begin the days of late evenings, sitting on the porch, listening to crickets chirp. Their unique song is peaceful and has a musically calming effect, particularly after a long and stressful day.

However, I have also noticed that if you take that lovely chirping out of its natural environment, it becomes a nuisance.  For example, a cricket in the bedroom at night is annoying...it disturbs my rest.  And even if I was sleeping soundly, it still wakes me up.  What then?  Well, there are two options:

1) Ignore it, or
2) Get up (out of my comfortable and warm bed), find the source of the noise and do something about it!

In my lifetime, there have only been a few occasions when a cricket took up lodging in my bedroom.  But, its persistence always paid off!  I got up, found it, caught it, and put it outside...where it belongs.  Now, mind you, I didn't kill it, ever, just put it outside.  It was disturbing me, so I did something about it.

And that got me to thinking:

Often, when God wants to get our attention, He creates a "disturbance in the force," as it were, and we are faced with the same options: ignore it or do something.

For example, when He brings someone to my mind, I try to stop, immediately, and pray for them.  There is something they need that He can give.  I want them to have it, so I ask...for them.  You may never know the extent of the problem they are facing, you just know that our Heavenly Father cared enough to disturb your well-being and whisper, "Your brother/sister needs you."  He doesn't "need" us to accomplish His will, but this is how He chooses to bless US, by our obedience to His soft, tender call.

If we want more of His blessing in our lives, perhaps it would be good to pay attention to the soft chirping that disturbs our normal routine.  Just like the little cricket, it's not that loud...just loud enough to notice, but then, what?  The choice is always there...ignore or do something.

It's not just a passing thought...God really means it when He whispers, "Call this one, send a note to that one, pray for this family, take her to lunch; don't shut Him out...Get up!  Do something...anything!

There's a reason we hear "chirping."  It's the sound of the good life!