“Hearing God’s Voice and Silencing the Noise.”

It has been one week since I arrived in San Jose. This city is filled with sounds of motorbikes zipping through traffic. Car horns echoing off tin building and tropical birds singing songs together. Yet behind all this noise, one can see in the distance the mountains that border the city. Nearly every day, there are gray clouds that hover over these mountains. A downpour of rain normally hits around noon time and disappears within a few hours. Even though I have seen rainstorms almost daily; the storm within my heart is gently lifting. God presence is in this place and I am excited to see how He is going to teach me about His character of love and mercy.

On Sunday, my team and I had the opportunity to go downtown San Jose to experience watching the World Cup. On this particular day, Costa Rica was playing against Greece. Thousands of people filled the streets, to see if their small country would take home the title of winning against Greece (a team known to do excellent in soccer!). For the majority of the game the score remained 1 to 1, keeping everyone on edge. During the final part (going into over time) the teams had to finish the game with penalty kicks. Greece missed the fourth goal, and to our excitement, Costa Rica became the winning team!!! Never in my life have I seen a crowd go as WILD as this one!

In Costa Rica, it’s a tradition for the people to gathers in the calles (streets) and make their way to the “circle”  (as seen in the photo to the right). As they make their way through the streets, boys wave red shirts over their heads and women wrap the Costa Rican flag around their shoulders with pride. Everyone chants together, “OLE OLE OLE, TICOS TICOS!!” San Jose is a city and cultured filled with lots of noise; which at times is exciting. However, hearing all these sounds around me makes me think about how “noise in my own life” can distract me from what is most important.

There is a story our teacher told us this week in class that impacted the way I think about hearing God’s voice and silencing the noise. One day a Native American and his American friend (I will call them Katut and John) traveled to New York City together. Katut and John decide to walk near time square to witness the businesses of the city. For the first time, Katut began to experience what it is like to be in a city filled with lights and cars rushing from one place to another.
      As Katut and his friend where walking through the streets that evening, Katut said, “Do you hear that cricket?” His friend John laughed, “Are you serious? No, I can’t hear a cricket? Not over all this noise.” Katut pointed to a specific bush close by, “look inside that bush” he said. John still couldn’t hear anything but did as his friend had asked. To John’s surprise there was a little cricket at the bottom of the bush. “How did you hear this cricket? Wow, you must have better hearing than I do” John said.  Katut gave a humble smile and then responded to John, “My ears are no better than yours my friend.”  He paused for a moment, “You see, my ears are no different than yours…I simply listen for things you do not.” Katut then said something very profound, “People listen for things that are most important to them.”  “Let me show you what I mean…” Katut said to John. At that moment, Katut pulled a bunch of coins out from his pocket. As ten people passed by; Katut dropped his coins on the pavement of the sidewalk. Instantly, each person looked frantically on the ground to see if the change was their own. Katut explained, “You see, people listen for what is most valuable to them.”

Although the story of Katut and the cricket is a brief one, there is something about it that has stirred up conviction within me. This story makes me think about how there has been so many times in my life where I do not hear God’s voice; mainly due to the fact that I have chosen to listen to other things. Sadly, I have put other things in God’s place…and allowed the noise around me to cover up what is really of most value- and that is getting to know God’s heart. I am looking forward to seeing how God is going to show me His character in the next several months. My heart is tender and ready to learn from Him; perhaps more than ever before.

The photo bellow is my team members, here at the San Jose YWAM base. Please pray for us, that God will unite us as one on the mission field. That we will become as close as brothers and sisters...and that through God revealing Himself to us; we can reach the nations.

Thanks for reading.  I hope everything is going well at home.:)