Thursday, May 24, 2018

Be still!

“Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:25‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/heb.12.25.nlt

Do you know people that just won’t stop talking? I know several people that never stop talking and it’s impossible to interject two words in the conversation. I have to admit, I can get that way myself. I always want the last word and I always have to make the last point. It’s not a quality I’m proud of. But, that character flaw is nothing compared to doing the same thing with God, the creator of all things. What kind of “faithful follower” am I if I don’t take the time to sit quietly and listen to the voice of God?

I think we all need to take more time listening, waiting, for the voice of the Lord. Yes, I hear his voice. Sometimes it’s as clear as the person sitting next to me. But, most often I hear his voice in other ways. Most often it is through my wife. The Lord uses this wonderful lady to speak to me. ( I wish I could say I always listen!) God uses other family and friends to speak to me. His spirit can take so many different forms. I often hear his voice through reading good Christian books and certainly I hear his voice through his own words in my Bible. But, you can’t just expect God to speak if you aren’t listening. You need to prayer yourself to listen. It take practice to “still” yourself, quiet your thoughts, empty your mind, and really get ready to listen. We all need to master the challenging art of listening to the Lord.

Dear Lord, help me to hear your kind, loving voice. Give me a spirit willing to stop and listen. Help me be in tune with your thoughts and make them my own. There are so many distractions. Please, Lord,  filter them out so I can listen to you, the creator of all things. I want nothing more than to serve you and follow your path for my life. Be still my soul! Amen!


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