Can you hear Me now?
Main Scripture: Jeremiah 22:21, Hebrews 4:16, Psalm 46:10
Back in 2002, Verizon wireless began showing commercials hosted by a spokesman by the name of Paul Marcarelli. He would walk around and ask the question, “Can you hear me now?” Of course, he was trying to get people to believe that Verizon Wireless had the best coverage in the United States. Have you ever thought that God may be saying the same thing to you?
Jeremiah repeatedly reminded his people that while God had been speaking to them, they did not hear. “I spoke to you in your prosperity,” the Lord declared through the prophet, “but you said, ‘I will not hear.’ This has been your manner from your youth, that you did not obey My voice (Jer. 22:21).
I believe we have the same problem today. The Lord may be speaking to us, yet in our busy everyday lives, we do not listen. Why do so many of us fail to hear what God is saying? So, are you saying that we are to just sit still and see if God says anything? Well, that is one problem that we have. Listening is not necessarily a passive experience. Listening should be an active endeavor, involving both attitude and action. I am sure we will have a hard time listening to God if we come to Him with a bad attitude and full of doubt that He is going to tell us anything. Hebrew 4:16 – “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We should approach Him confidently and expectantly, anticipating that He will communicate with us. When you do this, it expresses your faith and demonstrates that you believe His promises.
Psalm 46:10 tells us to, “Be still, and know that I am God.” One of our problems is that we have a hard time being still. To hear God, we must come quietly to Him and allow Him to speak to us. We often pray and much of what we ask are things we want, or things we want Him to do for us! What about things He may want us to do for Him? So, listen humbly and submissively. We depend absolutely upon the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s truth to us. Apart from the work of the Spirit, we are helpless to hear from God – whether He speaks through Scripture, circumstances, prayer, or other people. Only the Spirit enables us to hear.
Christ is our perfect example of who we should imitate concerning this. Jesus spent all night in prayer immediately before He chose the twelve disciples who would accompany Him everywhere. Luke 6:12 tells us, “He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” Jesus wanted the counsel of His Father on all the major decisions, and so should we.
So, when God speaks to you, listen attentively, and prepare to submit to whatever He tells you. Because, obedience pleases the Father and He desires to bless you for listening well.
Love and Blessings,
Rev. Larry Baldwin
Pastor
Hillcrest Baptist Church
Transformed Student Ministry 