Join Me On the Journey

This morning, I was reading the book of I Samuel and there was a verse that really struck me.

Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. I Sam 3:1b (NLT)

I got to thinking that “those days” are these days…present day in our lives. We’re not hearing from God. Messages from the Lord are very rare, and visions are quite uncommon. Why is that?

I believe there are two reasons: we don’t give God the time to speak and we don’t get quiet enough to hear Him speak.

First of all, many of us do not give God the time. It takes time to get to know someone…even God. Knowing God is like knowing another person here on earth. How do you get to know your husband or know your friend? You spend time with them. Time listening. If you have a friend and whenever you get together, you only talk and never listen, how long do you think that friendship is going to last?

Think of your relationship with God as more like a friendship and think about how your friends would feel if you treated them like you treat God. That can be an eye-opening experience. (Of course, our relationship with God is different because God isn’t fickle. He will “never leave you, or forsake you.” (Heb 13:5) But, it is helpful to think of our relationship with God in these terms sometimes.)

Secondly, we have so much noise in our lives. Who among us takes the time to truly sit in quiet with God on a regular basis? Even during our quiet time, we have the radio on or praise music on. Now, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t listen to praise music. That can be a vital part of our quiet time, but I am saying that there is a benefit to “quiet” during our “quiet time.”

And, during the day, how much quiet is there in your life? Do you have the TV on? the radio on? your iPod stuck in your ears? your kids running pell-mell through the house? Can you take a few moments and turn everything off? It takes practice to hear the voice of God.

When Elijah wanted to hear the voice of God, do you remember what happened?

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. I Kings 19:11-12 (NLT)

I want to encourage you that it doesn’t take long for you to receive the blessing of hearing from God. He is so happy when we begin talking and listening to Him an a regular basis.I can say that I have had a regular quiet time for several months now. (It was about time, considering that I have been a Christian since I was a small child!) I cannot even begin to list the blessings that I have received in the last months as I have begun to learn to listen to God. He is so faithful.

Won’t you begin to take the time and get quiet before God? I promise that you too can hear His voice.

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