As a child I couldn’t correctly say all my letters (I probably still don’t!), so once a week I would get pulled out of class to go practice speaking correctly. We would play games that would get me to say certain sounds or words, we would have different exercises to accomplish a goal, and sometimes there were activities to do at home. I remember how much I would just listen to the instructor pronouncing the sounds and trying to sound the same. Listening was just as much work as talking.
Listening to God and talking to God takes practice, it takes different forms, and it takes time. God speaks today powerfully, just as he has throughout history. John 10:10 reminds us that the people who follow Jesus (his sheep) can hear his voice which signifies a relationship with him and lets them follow him. Now don’t assume you need an audible voice.
God speaks to us through his creation to let us know how powerful he is (Psalm 19:1-2). He gave us a wonderful book to get to know him (2 Timothy 3:16) and it still speaks powerfully through it. He also puts people in your life to speak through (Hebrews 1:1-2). God also gifted us a helper to hear him, the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 16:13). He did all this so we could know him, follow him, and bring others on this journey with us.
In my speech therapy, it took time to learn what I was doing wrong so I could hear how things actually sounded. It took time to talk to feel comfortable listening, (and learning how to actually listen). When we cultivate a listening ear and a soft heart, we can hear God speak.
God is speaking to us in meaningful and powerful ways. Take a moment to think about times when verses seem to leap off the page and make sense, think of a moment when someone called or came to you in a time of need, think of a time when you could feel a nudge to go do something or stop doing something, and think of a time when the sermon was just for you! All those and many more are how God is speaking to you today.
Can you set aside time today to pray and listen? Ask him for help to hear his voice and he will help you.
Jeremy Johnson
Pastor of Men’s Ministry