Hearing the Lord Speak

A snare is a cruel device designed to trap the legs of an animal in a hidden wire, so that it cannot run away. The animal can then easily be caught and killed. The psalmist uses this dramatic picture to describe how the enemy will try and trap us, as we walk through life, into making wrong choices and falling into his hands. Many is the person I have prayed with who has taken the bait of the enemy and finished up hobbling through life, being constantly reminded of his or her past and, as a result, failing to fulfil God’s purposes for their life.

But not only does the psalmist describe the consequences of the enemy’s actions, mercifully he tells us how we can hear the voice of the Lord for ourselves and hear God’s voice showing us how to escape from the snare. We can’t change the fact that we have been in a snare, but God delights to set us free so that once again we can step forward on the journey of life going in the right direction.

The key lies in having a holy fear of the Lord – not the sort of fear that makes us shake with fright, but the sort of fear that directs our choices through love so that our desire is always to please Him. This does not mean that we stop being our own person, but it means that God rejoices in seeing us free to be the person He made us to be – able to be blessed by Him and be a blessing to others. Hebrews 11:7 tells us that it was in holy fear that Noah built the ark – it was vital for Noah to be constantly hearing the Lord’s voice, guiding and directing him in the building of the most important ship that humanity has ever known. It saved the human race!

When our heart is right towards the Lord, then because of His covenant love He will delight to show us the way to go and how to both resist the enemy and be set free from his snares. If there is sin we need to confess it. If there is hurt from others we need to forgive them. If we have walked away from God’s plans for our life we need to tell the Lord we love Him and ask Him to help us get back on track. As we keep our eyes fixed firmly on Him, he will lead and direct your steps. For as the psalmist says in Psalm 119:44-45, “I will walk about in freedom for I have sought out your precepts.”

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to seek out Your precepts and walk in them. I want to hear Your voice and walk in Your ways all the days of my life. Lord, I am listening, please show me how to escape the snares of the enemy and obey You. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.