HE SPEAKS . . . DO I LISTEN?

HE SPEAKS . . . DO I LISTEN?

I have been reading through the Old Testament this year from the ONE
YEAR BIBLE and have thoroughly enjoyed reviewing stories that I learned
as a kid. One of the things that has stood out is how many time the Lord
spoke to His people and their leaders. I don't know about you, but
sometimes I have found myself saying, "If only I could hear the voice of
the Lord directly on this or that . . . "

For many of us prayer is a one-side proposition. Think about it . . . we
pray and we expect HIM to listen. Sometimes, well maybe more often than
I want to admit, I don't even take the time to fellowship and praise Him
-- I barge right into the throne room with my list of things I expect
Him to do without taking the time to enjoy Him. There are hundreds of
verses in the Psalms that confirm that HE HEARS our prayers: "I love the
Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. Because He has
inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I
live. (Psalm 116:1-2)

All through elementary school, I had the same comments written on the
back of my report cards . . . those words have been written on the
hard-drive of my mind . . . "Billy (I hated that name) would be such a
good student if he would just stop talking . . . " Yikes! God wants to
speak to us but often we are too busy to hear Him. Some of my friends
are strong enough to say that God doesn't speak in an audible voice any
more like He did in days gone by. Well don't shoot me -- but that is
probably true. But I do know this -- if He wanted to, He could and
would. I am not about to limit how God desires to deliver what He wants
to say.

For me, He speaks to me through His Word. There have been times during
my prayer times that I have cried out to the Lord. I have the confidence
that HE HEARS me because He tells me that in His Word. And He listens
with BOTH ears! Sometimes when we are finished praying, He wants us to
be still and listen for His voice. Try it sometime -- after you are done
praying, sit still and listen! My dear friend, Marilyn Heavilin has
written a wonderful book entitled, "I'M LISTENING, LORD" that is a good
resource on this subject.

Sometimes during the night when I cannot sleep, I rehearse in my mind
Scriptures that I have memorized. When I do that, often I fall back to
sleep. But every so often, this is the time HE speaks to my heart. The
other night was one of those times when I was wrestling out something in
my soul. I was searching for an answer and praying for instruction. I
did not hear an AUDIBLE voice, but I believe the Holy Spirit spoke to my
heart and clearly gave me the answer I needed! It was cool! He gave me
exactly what I needed to do in a tough situation.

Read through the Psalms and read how God did this for David. In Psalm
16:7 David wrote: "I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; Indeed my
mind instructs me in the night." Maybe He chooses to speak to me during
the night because that is when He has MY undivided attention. He wants
to speak to our hearts -- are we ready to listen?

"And He walks with me, and He talks with me; and He tells me I am His
own. And the joy we share as we tarry there -- none other has ever
known."

THOT: "God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to
Him." Proverbs 28:9 (The Message)