Are You Listening?

     
"And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden."  (Genesis 3:8).

      Have you ever noticed when you are in a quiet room that the sound of the clock ticking seems to be so loud?  At times, it's hard to concentrate on anything else, because the ticking sound of the clock is all you can hear. However, as your day gets busier and you begin to move around in the room, the sound of the clock ticking seems to disappear. We have learned to "tune out" noises all throughout the day. That clock continues ticking, even though you don't notice it. The ticking continues for 60 times per minute, every minute, all day, every day. As you go about your day, you forget about that sound and may not even notice the clock at all; until you need to see what time it is.

      This is much like our lives. God speaks to us so often, but we are so busy running here and there, doing this and that, that we do not hear Him. He continues to speak to us, even though we may not hear Him. He speaks all day every day. Often times, we do not even notice that He is speaking until we need Him for something.  

      God does not speak in a loud, thunderous, booming voice as we see in the movies. He could, but He speaks in that still, soft voice. The only way to hear Him is to get quiet and be still. We must listen intently for His voice. We must listen deliberately; not rushed, not hurried and not half-heartedly. We must come before Him and be ready to listen and obey.

      In the Scripture above, Adam and Eve took time every day to listen for the voice of the Lord coming to talk with them in the garden. Can you imagine knowing that God would come and talk with you every day at a certain time? We know that He doesn't come in person to talk with us as He did them, but He does speak to us daily if we will take the time to listen. He speaks to us through His word, He speaks to us through our pastors and evangelists, He speaks to us in our spirits; He speaks to us any way He chooses. However, if we are too busy to listen, we will miss out on what He is saying to us. We must take time every day to listen to His voice. We must eagerly await hearing from Him. Block everything else out of your mind and just focus on Him. It's amazing what will happen. It's so peaceful.  Don't miss out on His voice because you are expecting the earth to quake when He speaks. If you are not alert, you will miss it.

"And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." (1 Kings 19:12). 

"And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." (John 10:4-5)

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"                (John 10:17).


     If we are His child, then we are His sheep; because He is our good Shepherd. These verses tell us that if we are His sheep, we know His voice and follow and obey. We do not follow after strangers; or in other words, we do not obey the enemy, our flesh, or the world. We listen to and obey God. 

     Listen......... really listen....... He's speaking; just like that clock is still ticking. What is He saying to you? Are you aware that He is speaking to you right now? Open your ears and listen, then obey. 

"For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed;"  (Matthew 13:15). 

     Have you "tuned out" His voice? Are your ears dull of hearing? If you will take the time to wait in His presence and listen, He will speak.  Don't be in a hurry. Rest in Him, wait on Him, and listen to Him.  He's speaking; are you listening?