“Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message.”
— Malcolm Muggeridge

When Beauty Stops You in Your Tracks

Sometimes when you sense a special moment, you have to stop and get out of the car.

Driving home one late afternoon, I saw a huge gathering of birds swirling in perfect formation over the Apple campus. It was an aerial ballet, a living cloud in motion. I decided if I was going to catch the show and really see it, I’d better not do it while driving in rush-hour traffic.

The whole spectacle lasted only minutes, but its beauty raised the hair on my arms, left a lump in my throat, and filled my heart with joy.

Later, a friend mentioned he’d seen the same thing earlier in the week — and then I came across this breathtaking video:
🎥 Starling Murmuration — Sophie Windsor Clive & Liberty Smith

The science behind how these birds move in such harmony is fascinating, but it’s the mystery — the meaning — that draws me in.

God Is Into Abundance

In the world He made, we see abundance everywhere — starry skies, teeming oceans, forests alive with color and sound.

When those starlings gathered by the thousands, I thought again of that truth: God delights in abundance and variety.Nearly seven billion people walk this planet, and yet no two are identical.

We share a human form, but the details are endlessly unique. And every single one of us matters.
We are not interchangeable. We are intentionally designed.

God Adds Layers of Perfection in Everything He Makes

Tangerines nourish us — but they also taste and smell delicious. Bonus: they’re beautiful, shiny globes of orange joy.

What does that tell us about God? Why do we have taste buds and tangerines? If you believe He made both, then take that thought one level deeper: Why did He make the world so beautiful, even after the fall?

How can softly falling rain quiet anxiety?
Why does a child’s laughter make us laugh?
Why does birdsong lift our hearts or lavender oil soothe us to sleep?

Because beauty still whispers His love.

God Is Constantly Speaking to Us

I’ve never understood the idea of a detached Creator who wound up the universe and left it to run. There’s too much evidence of intimate design for that kind of distance.

“He Is There and He Is Not Silent.” — Francis Schaeffer

So what is He saying?
Here’s some of what I’ve been hearing.

You Matter Deeply

“Don’t believe Satan’s rumor that you don’t matter.”

You do — in your family, in your workplace, in your ordinary day. God wants you to carry His presence into every relationship and every errand. The everyday holds the potential of a divine appointment. Routine interactions can become moments of destiny.

Your Story Has Purpose

“Don’t discount your value or your contribution.”

God has brought you this far through both joy and sorrow. None of it is wasted. What you have to share — only you can share. Be led by His Spirit. Look around and ask, “Lord, who can I encourage today?”

God Is Constantly Inviting Us to Be More Like Him

When fruit ripens, it soaks up sunlight and turns sweet. As we walk with Jesus, we soak up the Son — and His character sweetens us.

He makes us “divinely appetizing” to those around us. It’s the Holy Spirit’s work, shaping us into the likeness of Christ.

“God’s fingers can touch nothing but to mold it into loveliness.” — George MacDonald

“We have this treasure in earthen vessels.” — 2 Corinthians 4:7

God fits the mouthpiece to the message. He works in us love and kindness, offering through us His grace and truth to hungry hearts.

“For more encouragement on how prayer opens our spiritual ears, read Prayer and Your Everyday Life.”

Learning to Listen

We have to keep the lines of communication open. Listening must become a daily habit.

“Tell me in the morning about your love, because I trust you.
Show me what I should do, because my prayers go up to you.”
— Psalm 143:8, NCV

He is there — and He is not silent.

God wants to tell us how much He loves us, to invite us into His joy, and to include us in His purposes. Nothing dispels boredom faster than realizing God is using you to touch someone’s life.

Tuning Out the Noise

Our inboxes are full, our phones are buzzing, and our attention is splintered.

But God’s voice is a still, small one. He has a pre-set volume.
We have to turn down the world’s noise to hear Him.

I can’t tell you what His personal message to you will be — but I know He has one.
The question is: Are we getting the message?

“If distractions often drown out His voice, you’ll love Want to Hear from God? You Control the Volume.”

The Edges of His Ways

There’s much about God we don’t understand, but I don’t want to miss the glimpses — those flashes of beauty and whispers of grace that hint at His greatness.

“Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!”
— Job 26:14

That murmuration of starlings? The perfect picture of the edges of His ways — a fleeting echo of divine order and majesty.

The Heavens Are Still Speaking

Let’s stop thinking that only Moses or Abraham heard God’s voice.
He has written volumes of truth about Himself in creation.

“The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.”
— Psalm 19:1–2, ESV

Jesus said His sheep hear His voice.
I’m still learning to listen.
How about you?
What have you been hearing lately?

If you want to go deeper into learning how to recognize God’s voice, I can’t recommend this enough: Bible Study and Quotes on Hearing God by Dallas Willard.
It’s a long read — so bookmark it, take your time, and come back again and again. The truths are rich, and the quotes from Dallas Willard are pure gold. They’ll help you discern how God still speaks through His Word, His Spirit, and His creation.

🪶 Reflection Prompt

Take five minutes today to step outside, look around, and ask:

“Lord, what are You showing me about Yourself right now?”

The answer might surprise you.

“This desire to notice Him more reminds me of what I wrote in Longing After God.”

🙏My prayer is that you’ll find in longing after Him that He is constantly longing after you.🙃