02/13/2017
This morning I am contemplating how well I hear the Lord's voice. I know that I hear it often, but do I hear everything He says to me; or do I always recognize His voice? I recall Samuel being awakened by God calling his name in the night. Samuel, who from birth was Nazarite, dedicated to God, and who would be a great prophet... didn't recognize the voice he was hearing. It wasn't until Eli told him how to respond that he said...
"And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth."
1 Samuel 3:10 KJV
How many times has God called out to us that we didn't recognize his voice? Or, in how many circumstances have we prayed for guidance and then ignored His response, believing it wasn't him because we didn't receive the answer we wanted? I also recall doubting God had actually heard me in some of my prayers because the answers I was receiving were not timely, or what I expected Him to say... so I ignored them.
Scripture insures us that God hears our prayers. In fact, He hears every word we say and the sound of every breath we take. Sometimes he even returns that breath to us as He did to Lazarus.
"Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me."
John 11:41 KJV
Jesus wasn't thanking God because He might or might not hear Him... no, He was speaking so that those who witnessed this miracle might believe in God and prayer. Jesus knew the voice of God and answered it always. He is our example.
My wife has been asking me to get my ears checked, and insists that I need hearing aids. I often ask her to repeat herself, and although there are many times that I actually don't hear her, there are more when I am lost in thought or my attention is directed elsewhere. In those times, she speaks and when I finally realize that she is calling my name, I have missed what she said... and answer "What did you say?" I would like to tell you that she sweetly repeats herself, but in fact, this happens so frequently that she now becomes irritated with me and I am told "You need to get your ears checked!"
Well, we do the same thing with God! Often, we miss His voice entirely, but more times than not, He is trying to get our attention, or is talking to us, and our minds are a million miles away. God returned to call Samuel's name three times before he finally answered, but I venture to guess that once Samuel recognized God's voice that he didn't miss many more calls. Perhaps he acquired a set of spiritual hearing aids, but it is more likely that he attuned himself to the Lord's voice.
We too need to become accustomed to the sound of God's voice. We need to know it so intimately, and trust it so completely that when He tells us to do things we don't expect, or which are hard, or uncomfortable, that we don't doubt our hearing and answer immediately... "Here am I." God repeated himself to Samuel, and if we miss His call He will repeat Himself with us as well, but it is not good to make Him do so. God desires us to answer Him like my wife wishes I would answer her... the first time He speaks to us.
Prayer:
Father, I desire to hear your voice always. Help me to direct my attention towards you so that I don't hear your calling as if it were coming to me from a distant fog. Lord, teach me to recognize the sound of your voice so intimately that in a single word I know it is you. Let me recognize you as readily as I do a familiar hymn... often by hearing just one note. Prepare me for your beckoning call that I might not doubt it when you call to me. Heavenly Father, I desire to hear you and obey... call my name and hear me answer... "speak; for thy servant heareth!" My deepest desire is to hear you in all ways and in directing me in everything I do.