Devotion: Listening

Listening for His Voice

Isaiah 30:21 says “You shall hear a voice behind you saying ‘This is the way, walk ye in it, whether you turn to the right or to the left.’” These are comforting words indeed but not always easy to discern when in the moment of decision. A poem by Mary Baker Eddy contains a similar phrase: “I will listen for Thy voice, lest my footsteps stray. I will follow and rejoice, all the rugged way.” In this context, we get a better feeling of the challenge of discovering God’s divine will for us and our loved ones.

Elijah the prophet in Kings I:19 discovers this very problem. In the moment of his greatest despair, he hears a mighty wind and an earthquake and expects God’s voice to be there loud and clear. The trouble is that God speaks to the inner mind and we are so often loudly proclaiming our self will and self desires that the “still small voice” that is the Lord is blocked from our hearts and minds.  Psalm 46:10 exhorts us to “Be still and know that I am God.” Our challenge in constant prayer and deliberation is to quiet our inner voices (that are often obnoxiously loud) and “wait for the Lord.”

God expects our attention to be set on Him at all times, not on the things of this world. So many times I have been willful and had my desires fulfilled , only to see what a disaster it turned out to be. Psalm 55:22 tells us to “cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you.”

Divine Shepherd of the sheep, still our inner wanting and learn to trust that in You alone will be all good and gracious things that are Your divine gifts to us, whether we are awake or asleep.

Shared by Dr. Franklyn Commisso