Listen and Hear

Although I had suggested it for several years, it wasn't until Ella - Grand #1 - started talking Mr. Bill decided to get hearing aids. Suddenly, there were things he wanted to hear! The same could be said of Believers' spiritual hearing. God's people, at the foot of Mt Sinai, said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen, but let not God speak to us." (Exodus 20:19). Now, I love hearing my pastor preach, Godly leaders teach, and reading biblically sound books but there's nothing like hearing The Holy Spirit speak directly to me! Perhaps many of us resemble Old Testament priest Eli whose spiritual hearing had grown weak: only after three times of young Samuel's hearing a voice did Eli discern the voice to be God's (1 Samuel 3:8). The cold hard truth is most of us are not listening nor are we nurturing a relationship with The Father that welcomes the sound of His voice. John wrote of God speaking, "My sheep hear My voice" (10:27) and "Whoever is of God hears the words of God" (8:47). It should be a natural response to listen for and hear from The One Who "inclines His ear to me" (Psalm 116:1). Know this: The Father has much to say, and oh how He longs for us to hear Him. Listen, and hear God.