On Holy Ground

I am going through the daily devotional Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. There are some days where she writes and I really have to stop and think about it, like this morning. Here's what she wrote:

Learn to listen to Me even while you are listening to other people. As they open their souls to your scrutiny, you are on holy ground. You need the help of My Spirit to respond appropriately. Ask Him to think through you, live through you, love through you. My own Being is alive within you in the Person of the the Holy Spirit. If you respond to others' needs through your unaided thought processes, you offer them dry crumbs. When the Spirit empowers your listening and speaking, My streams of living water flow through you to other people. Be a channel of My Love, Joy and Peace by listening to Me as you listen to others.

I never considered myself on holy ground just because I was talking to someone else. I usually don't consider myself to be "ministering" to someone unless I've specifically determined I want to talk to them about spiritual things. Usually a conversation is just something that happens; I might pray that God would keep my mouth shut about things I don't need to talk about. But holy ground?

I appreciate when people are open and honest. When I ask someone how they are doing, I really want to know. If they answer with fine and they look fine, I take them at their word. I do scrutinize them. It never occurred to me they were opening up their souls. There is one friend I meet with on a regular basis and we do open up to each other. But all people opening their souls just because they are talking to me?

I'm realizing that I don't truly believe God has Divine Appointments because if I did I would realize they are continuously happening. My life is not just a random chaos, but a serious plan that Someone has thought through so that I could bring Him glory.

I am ashamed to admit that many a time I have offered dry crumbs, never considering that the Lord Jesus was serious when He talked about the streams of living water flowing through me. Though I benefit from those streams and I shall never thirst, the point is THEY FLOW THROUGH ME. They are to flow through me to reach others and bring healing to them.

I pray that I might be changed more and more to be so aware and dependent on Him that no one has to get dry crumbs from me anymore and that I would know the place He has me is holy ground.