Hearing God’s Voice

I was quite relaxed as I was making breakfast for my two sons the other day, when I heard a crash...followed by crying. I recognised my elder son’s voice straightaway - Micah, who’s three. I ran into the dining room and saw my younger son, Aaron, who’s one, looking down from his high chair at Micah, who lay in a heap on the floor next to his chair which had fallen over. I picked him up, calmed him down and sympathised with his pain. When asked what had happened he replied that he’d been trying to reach his younger brother to tickle him. Obviously he’d reached out too far and his chair had tipped over.
Once we were sitting down, and Micah had a mouthful of Weetabix, the following conversation took place:

‘But it was my fault daddy’.
‘Why?’
‘Cos I didn`t listen to God’.
‘What do you mean you didn`t listen to God?’
‘I was reaching for Aaron and God said “Micah you’re gonna fall down”, but I didn`t listen and I falled down’.

Samuel heard the voice of God three times before he realised, with Eli’s help, that maybe it was the Lord speaking. Samuel became a mighty prophet, in big part I think, because he learnt how to hear the voice of God, but more importantly to obey it. The first message the Lord gave him was against Eli. He was scared, but, in obedience, he spoke out what God had revealed to him.

How many things has the Lord spoken to us? Things that we’ve chosen to ignore or disobey. I was so excited that my three year old had heard directly from God, and that he’d recognised His voice. Yet I was devastated that he hadn’t obeyed. He fell, took a bump and I hope, when he hears God`s voice again, he won`t just hear, but he`ll obey, now he`s learnt there are consequences to not listening.

Samuel was a great prophet, and he was used mightily, because he didn’t let any of the Lord’s Words fall to the ground. He took the Words and applied them. They had an effect on him, and thus he could be used for the Lord’s work. Is the Lord speaking to you? Are you listening, and what are you doing with the words He’s spoken? Are they falling to the ground and having no effect on you, or are they being obeyed and used for His purposes?

Prayer: Lord Jesus thank You for speaking to me. I’m sorry for the times You’ve spoken and I haven’t listened or applied what You’ve said. Help me to understand Your plan in what You’re saying, and how I can be obedient. Amen.