Listening is so important to any relationship, and that includes our relationship with Jesus. In some ways, I would argue that it is even more important because I think the God of the Universe and the Creator of all things is someone to pay attention to when he speaks!
How often do we read our Bibles, only to have it go in one ear and out the other? How often do we pray by just throwing up all our requests to God but never take them time to listen to what He may want to say? Today, I want to begin by looking at a passage in 1 Samuel 3:1-10 that will give us some insight to listening to God in our lives.
Notice what verse one says. “In those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.” Some of you may think that this is not unlike the times that we live in today. Well, I think I would agree with you, but it is important to understand what this verse is getting at. Some people might argue that this verse says that God wasn't speaking to many people in the days that Samuel was a boy.
Well, only God knows if he was or wasn't speaking, but the root of the problem was that people had given up listening a long time ago. The chapters that precede today's tell about Eli's (the priest) sons and how they were wicked and “had no respect for the Lord.” They did whatever they wanted and didn't care about the work God had called them to do. They just ignored Him and what He was saying. That's why messages from the Lord were rare, and visions were uncommon.
It wasn't because God wasn't speaking. It was the fact that no one was listening to relay the messages of God to the rest of the people. (Therefore, it seemed that God was silent for years and years!) I think the same is true for us today. I think God is speaking all the time to many people but, for the most part, we still don’t listen.
Let's examine some reasons why we don't listen to God as we should. First, I think a lot of it is because of how busy and crazy we are. Our schedules are so loaded up with thing after thing that we don’t ever take time to just stop and listen to God. Sound familiar? In Psalms 46:10, the writer says to “Be still, and know that I am God.”
How often are we still and take the time to just listen to God? Notice that God doesn't speak to Samuel in the busyness of the day but instead at night as he is lying down to go to bed. It was when Samuel was still from the busyness of his day. For us today, we don’t even get that.
Second, I think we are all too often focused on all the wrong things. I think a lot of times, if we thought about God speaking to us we tend to think of everything in grand terms. Meaning there would be flashes of lighting and booms of thunder and clouds and smoke that would accompany God’s message to us. There would be angels singing and trumpets blasting and all these other things. That would make us sit up and take notice going, “Ok, God. You got my attention.”
Notice again, that this is not the way God speaks to Samuel. Instead, he calls out to him quietly in the night. Sometimes God does use dramatic things to get our attention – he speaks to Moses from a burning bush, he speaks to a guy named Balaam through is donkey, and he speaks to Mary through angels. But, more often than not, they are the exceptions and instead, God speaks to us in quiet and simple ways.
How does he do this? He does it through His words of the Bible, through other people, through nature, our consciences, and even a soft voice – but we are all too often looking for the big, huge message when in fact he is already talking; we just aren't listening.
Third, I think we miss God’s message so often because we have forgotten what God sounds like. In the midst of all the voices and message that we take in every day it is hard to pick God’s voice out of it all. This is especially hard if we are not spending any time with Him. Samuel didn't recognize God’s voice because he had never heard it. It took God calling three times for him to finally realize, thanks to Eli, what was going on.
In closing, I think the last thing that prevents us from listening to God is because we simply don’t want to. God calls out to Samuel, he doesn't just start speaking. He finally delivers the message when Samuel responds to God and says, “Speak, your servant is listening.” Samuel could have chosen – out of fear, out of not wanting to know what God had to say, or any other reason – to just ignore God but instead he choose to respond and purposefully listen to what God had to say.
My dear readers, God is speaking today whether you believe it or not. My challenge to everyone is to start listening. It is so important to make sure that we are not only taking time to “be still,” but also taking the time to separate ourselves from the world and everything going on around us. This will help us to hear God’s still, small voice; and refresh our souls with what He sounds like.
No matter what, we must respond as God calls our name. He will not force Himself on us, but instead wait for us to be ready and purposefully listen to His leading. The question is, are you ready?
Scripture: John 8:47; Mark 4:24; John 10:27-28; Hebrews 4:7; Philippians 4:6; Psalm 37:4-5; John 10:2-4; Revelation 3:20; Luke 8:18
Prayer: Speak, Lord Jesus; I will listen. You do not come to my soul without speaking to me in some way. Please make your presence known in the heart and mind of faith. I will be quiet, and let my desires and worries rest, in order to hear you. In silence, I will learn to know your “intimate will” in my regard. Amen
-special thanks to Jake Kircher
May your day be blessed!
Destry
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.