Day 19: Hearing God

IT’S NOT A ONE WAY STREET!

READ- Proverbs 2:1-6, Proverbs 22:17-18, Jeremiah 33:3

REFLECT- Have you ever been in a Bible study and secretly hoped that the leader doesn’t suggest popcorn prayer? You know, the kind of prayer where people just take a turn, often leading to awkward silences? You don’t want to be the only person who doesn’t pray, but praying out loud in a group can be scary. I can’t pray like these people. I don’t know theology or the proper words to say. What we forget is that prayer is simply a conversation. Yeah, it’s a conversation with the Creator of the universe, but it’s still a conversation. We often think of it as talking to God but really we should be talking with God. That is the essence of conversation. It’s a two way deal. If you have a new friend and you’re having coffee together, it isn’t a good idea to just talk about yourself and your needs the entire time. You have to allow the other person time to talk as well. But we don’t do that with God. We come to Him with our list of things… help me get a car or my spouse with their job or my friend with their kids or my dad with his health. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t bad! We are supposed to ask. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” But, do we take the time to listen to what He has to say to us? If we never listen to our new friend we would never get to know her. How can we expect to know God if all we do is tell Him what we need? Knowing God is essential if we wish to live for Him. Living for Him requires the wisdom to know what we are supposed to do and where we are supposed to go. Proverbs says that the beginning of wisdom is to get wisdom! And James tells us that if we ask, God will give us wisdom. But we have to have a relationship with God to receive it. How do we get there? It begins by listening.
 
RESPOND- God wants to talk to you. Be aware that He can talk to you in different ways: by His word, in prayer, through other people. Ask God to give you the wisdom you need to live this life for Him. Then, keep your ears and heart open, and wait for Him to speak to you.