Out in my woods God showed me many things.  Things within me and things around me.  One time He wanted to teach me about listening.  As I walked the trail, I heard the distant sound of a woodpecker pounding away on a tree.  He told me to look down and follow.  So I did, no matter where it lead me, and no matter what I had to walk through to do it.

I only looked at the ground straight in front of me, just enough for the next step.  The tapping got louder as I followed.  I tried to keep silent so as not to disturb anything.  Finally my search was over as my quest brought me to the foot of a tree; the hammering continued directly above me.  I looked up and there he was digging for his next meal.

There is an almost endless amount of wisdom in that experience, and even now 20+ years later, I learn new things from it.  Back then, He showed me I can follow best with my ears.  If I would have tried to follow with my eyes, I would have tripped and scared the bird.  Only by using my ears was I allowed to make it to him.

Today, I think about my walk with Jesus.  If I would have used my eyes during different times of my life, I would have tripped and been like the seed sown among thorns, Mark 4:18-19.  The circumstances that surrounded me would have choked me, making me unfruitful.  But only by listening to His voice am I able to pass through as He did amidst an angry crowd in Luke 4:30.

So go ahead, go outside.  Listen for the knocking and follow.  Join the hunt of that Divine Woodpecker.  Let His voice guide you one step at a time, Proverbs 16:9.  It was Jesus’ obedience to the will of the Father that brought Him to the knocking on the cross, Luke 22:42.  He fulfilled that path opening the door of salvation for us all, so that in the end, we would receive it, 1 Peter 1:9.

-Brian