Listening to God

 

Saul is going to die. His sons are going to die. He lost the kingdom because he didn’t obey the voice of the Lord. Now he’s seeking God’s voice but God won’t speak to him.

How do we get ourselves tangled so?

Saul wants to hear God speak when and what he wants to hear God speak. He’s not willing to wait on God. He’s repeatedly shown He’s not willing to wait and trust God.

If God’s not speaking, is it because we’ve shown we’re not willing to listen? When I say listen, I’m not talking about hearing but accepting and obey what was heard.

Have you ever considered it God’s mercy that He’s silent at times? It’s better for Him to not speak than for you to hear and disobey. Maybe He’s getting you ready to actually listen and that’s why you have to wait.

While we’re waiting, we’re wondering if it’s because God spoke and we missed it. We start thinking that maybe the thing we’re thinking is the thing we should do. We go round and round and think and justify instead of being still and silent and knowing and waiting and watching to see Him bring about our salvation.

John 10:4b-5 says, “…he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

God’s sheep know His voice and follow Him. When they hear a stranger’s voice, they flee.

They know. They just know.

Then why do we get so confused? Why don’t we know if we’re hearing God’s voice or not?

Are we sheep? We may be God’s children. But are we sheep? Sheep are dumb. They are humble creatures that follow their master with blind allegiance, total trust and loyalty.

Do we know too much to be considered humble, dumb sheep? Do we think we have an idea of what should happen, of what we should do?

Do we come to God with the solution already in hand instead of turning to Him knowing He’s our only hope?

We need to become like sheep. And then we’ll know.