ListenDaily – 19 May 2010: What are you listening to?
So, one obstacle to hearing God may be our unwillingness to let go. I think that makes sense. I also think that may be compounded by whether or not we believe we can hear. If someone asked me who my favorite guy in the Bible is, well Jesus, of course. But if you count only the guys who aren't also God, my favorite Biblical character is "the boy's father" from the ninth chapter of Mark, the one who said: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
I love that guy! He had a problem, took it to Jesus, and asked for His help...but..."If you can do anything..." is what squeaked out. He believed, and yet he reserved the right to a little disbelief.
I love that guy mostly because he's a lot like me.
It was good for him to be able to hear Jesus' reply: "'If you can'? Everything is possible for him who believes."
Friends, God is saying the same thing to you right now. Are you starting your day trying to listen? Keep at it, please! God will speak to you. It's like the old story (author unknown), "Hearing the Cricket":
"A Native American was walking in downtown New York City alongside a resident friend. As they approached a busy street corner in the center of Manhattan, the Indian seized his friend’s arm and whispered, “Wait. I hear a cricket.” “Come on!”, the city boy sneered, “This is downtown New York — how could you possibly hear a cricket?” His friend persisted however, “No – seriously, I do!” As cars were roaring, horns honking, people shouting, brakes screeching, cash registers clanging, subway clamoring and people bustling about, the Indian began leading his friend along slowly, every now and again stopping and turning his ear toward the seemingly noiseless sound. At last, the Indian insisted they were near and proceeded to follow the sound across the street and toward a small dark corner next to a graffiti covered wall. There, he bent down to a minuscule tuft of grass and pulled out the cricket. “I told, you”, he said, “I heard a cricket.”
Astounded, the New Yorker marveled “How could you have heard that cricket in the middle of all this noise?” “Well”, said his foreign friend, “My ears are different from yours. It simply depends on what you’re listening to. Here, let me show you what I mean.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change –a couple of quarters, three or four nickels, and a dime and a few pennies. “Now,” he said, “watch this.” He held the coins waist high and dropped them to the sidewalk. At once, every head within nearly a block turned around and looked in the direction of the Indian. “You see, it all depends on what you’re listening to.”
It all depends on what you’re listening to.
Questions:
1. Are you more inclined to hear the 'crickets' or the 'coins'?
2. Is it possible that God is talking to you and you just can't hear?
3. Are you willing to keep listening?
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May we keep listening. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"All the troubles of life come upon us because we refuse to sit quietly for a while each day in our rooms."
Blaise Pascal
THE 1-2-3 CHALLENGE:
Starting today, and then first thing tomorrow morning, I challenge you to listen to God, with this five minute exercise:
1) Do this as soon as you wake up. Set your clock a few minutes early if that is what you need to get up ahead of the household noise. Lay your Bible by your bed as a reminder.
2) Go to the quietest place in your house, outside, your kitchen, your bathroom...wherever.
3) Pray for 1 minute that God would speak to you. Audibly, out loud, ask Him to remove Satan from your presence for this time. Ask Him to remove distractions and mental clutter. During this time, do not ask Him for anything else, do not thank Him for anything else, do not pray for anyone else (but please find another prayer time for all these things).
4) Open your Bible and read for 2 minutes. This is God talking to you through His Word. Listen to Him.
5) Close your Bible and be silent for 3 minutes. Listen for Him. He may come as a thought, a nudge, an idea. For a while, He may seem hard to hear. There is so much clutter in our minds! Keep listening.
This may seem difficult. You will hear every creaking tree branch. You will hear every barking dog. But like Elijah's time in the cave, God is not in the tree branch, God is not in the dog. Persevere. Listen for the gentle whisper
Questions:
1. Is control an issue for you?
2. In any specific areas of your life?
3. Might that affect your ability to hear God?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May we persevere. Jim.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"All the troubles of life come upon us because we refuse to sit quietly for a while each day in our rooms."
Blaise Pascal
THE 1-2-3 CHALLENGE:
Starting today, and then first thing tomorrow morning, I challenge you to listen to God, with this five minute exercise:
1) Do this as soon as you wake up. Set your clock a few minutes early if that is what you need to get up ahead of the household noise. Lay your Bible by your bed as a reminder.
2) Go to the quietest place in your house, outside, your kitchen, your bathroom...wherever.
3) Pray for 1 minute that God would speak to you. Audibly, out loud, ask Him to remove Satan from your presence for this time. Ask Him to remove distractions and mental clutter. During this time, do not ask Him for anything else, do not thank Him for anything else, do not pray for anyone else (but please find another prayer time for all these things).
4) Open your Bible and read for 2 minutes. This is God talking to you through His Word. Listen to Him.
5) Close your Bible and be silent for 3 minutes. Listen for Him. He may come as a thought, a nudge, an idea. For a while, He may seem hard to hear. There is so much clutter in our minds! Keep listening.
This may seem difficult. You will hear every creaking tree branch. You will hear every barking dog. But like Elijah's time in the cave, God is not in the tree branch, God is not in the dog. Persevere. Listen for the gentle whisper
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