Have you ever had a conversation with God that rocked your world and shifted your world-view?

I was in a reflective mood that day when I opened the French doors and stepped through onto my balcony overlooking the street I lived on. 

Immediately I was slapped in the face by noise: cars honking, children screeching, vendors calling their wears, someone’s radio blasting, conversations in more than  ‘outside voices’… When I moved to the railing and looked down I was struck, again, by the dirt: garbage tossed onto the roadway, plastic bags blown hither and yon by the wind, chicken bones caught in the gutter, stains from children held up by grandmothers to pee on the roadside, vegetable peelings, bits of styrofoam, plastic cups…

Reflecting on my neighbourhood as I stood there, I spoke to Father God, “It’s so counter-intuitive that I’m here, in this place, doing what I’m doing. So not what I would have chosen. I’d prefer a little village in the middle of nowhere. Not a large busy city. Strange.”

“And yet you came,” I heard Him whisper back.

“Well … yes … You asked me to.”

“And that simple act of obedience ravished My heart.”

I was stunned to silence.

I don’t think I had seriously considered not coming when He asked. At least not for long. I had not thought how my choice – simple in some ways, complicated in others – might affect Him. 

It was just obedience. 

And, okay, a chance at a new culture, a bit of an adventure along the way. I admit those thoughts contributed.

But to now hear that my choice deeply impacted Him … I would do it again a million times. 

That day rocked my world. 

A conversation with God consisting of only a few sentences and obedience is suddenly incredibly attractive. 

Our choices can ravish His heart.