LISTENING FOR GOD’S VOICE

“Speak Lord in the stillness, while I wait on Thee; Hushed my heart to listen, in expectancy.” In the first three verses of our psalm, the writer is recounting, very gratefully, what God has done for His people, and in verses 4-7 he continues in petition for further blessing. He then seems to pause in verse 8, “I will hear (listen to) what God the Lord will speak”. It may well be that verse 9 onwards is what God told him. If so, while the psalmist listened, he learned some very precious truths.

We read the Word of God, but is this a formality? As we read, do we really listen to hear what God wants to say, or are we in such a hurry that we move quickly away, so that there has been no time to “listen”

One hymn-writer wrote, “Speak to me by name, O Master; Let me know it is to me”. In 1 Samuel 3. 10, we are told of a boy to whom God spoke by name: “Samuel”, He said. The lad’s reply is very lovely: “Speak; for thy servant heareth”. Sometimes when we are reading the Word, it is obvious that the passage we are reading is not specially for us, but do we never hear the Lord saying, “This is for you”? Perhaps we are not really listening.

There are many voices in the world today, many of them claiming to speak with authority, and the constant repetition of their claims makes an impression. In consequence, we hear folk say, “I do not know what to believe”. Alas, this operates in the realm of spiritual things too, but the wise Christian will hear so as to determine “what the Lord will speak”. There is the final authority.

In Revelation 1. 3, there is a blessing pronounced on the one who reads, and hears (listens to), and then keeps the Word of God. In Matthew 7. 24, the man who hears (listens to) the Word and obeys it is likened to one who builds his house upon a rock—he has a firm foundation.

May the Lord give us all an increasing longing to hear the voice of God speaking to us in a personal way as we read His Word.

“I am listening Lord for Thee; What hast thou to say to me?”