Many of the psalms are expressions of a very human heart crying out in need. Many times the phrase “Listen to me” or “Listen, God” are used. We have a very large need to have someone listen to us. We beg God to listen to us. We pester our parents from a very young age to look at me! Listen to me! Watch me! We look for ways to get people to listen to us. We talk to doctors, dental hygienists, hair stylists, and our co-workers. Some of us talk to people in line at the store (me!).
We spend time thinking of what to say in front of others or at a job interview. We try to watch what we say at work or in front of our bosses. We are careful what we say at church. We work so hard at what we are going to say we don’t always listen.
Listening is a hard skill to learn. It involves pausing our thought processes, what we doing, where we are going, stopping, looking and paying attention. That isn’t something easy to do! Generally, I am similar to a comet, heading in my own direction and not straying off course. It takes a large asteroid to knock me into a different path. Just ask my husband! It takes effort to really listen. It takes self-control to stop to listen to others. It means we care more about that person than about what we are doing.
So we listen. We need to listen to our kids and give them our full attention, at least once a day. We need to listen to our significant others and really hear what they are saying. We need to listen to the message at church, really listen, with the heart that intends to change what needs to change.
We need to listen to God. When does he speak? All the time. Where does he speak? Everywhere. To whom does he speak? Everyone. About what does he speak? Everything. Because anywhere, anytime, for anyone about anything could be the one thing that causes us to slip, to take a wrong turn, to miss God’s leading. And that would be a sad tale to tell.
So, God, what do I do next?
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.1 Peter 2:20-21
Psalm 25:8 God is fair and just; He corrects the misdirected, Sends them in the right direction. 9 He gives the rejects his hand, and leads them step-by-step. 10 From now on every road you travel will take you to God. Follow the Covenant signs; Read the charted directions.
Psalm 26:2 Examine me, God, from head to foot, order your battery of tests. Make sure I’m fit inside and out 3 so I never lose sight of your love, but keep in step with you, never missing a beat.
Ps 37: 23-24 Stalwart walks in step with GOD; his path blazed by GOD, he’s happy. If he stumbles, he’s not down for long; GOD has a grip on his hand.
