When we were at our daughter’s home in June, I asked her if she had any books that she recommended for me to read. Since I knew I would soon be in another time of recovery from surgery, I wanted to make sure I had some good reading material to fill my time. She gave me a stack of books to bring home and I have been devouring them ever since.
Each book has been great and I have felt like the Lord really guided Erica in selecting the right ones. Maybe I have gleaned more from them because I am reading them during a time when I haven’t been able to do much else, so my mind has been less cluttered. But I have prayed that I would be intentional on listening to whatever the Lord wanted to teach me through this collection.
I had read some verses in Jeremiah right before my surgery that had jumped out at me about intentional listening. I found them in chapter 23 verses 21-22 where the Lord was talking about those who were false prophets: “I have not sent these prophets, yet they run around claiming to speak for me. I have given them no message, yet they go on prophesying. If they had stood before me and listened to me, they would have spoken my words, and they would have turned my people from their evil ways and deeds.”
The phrase that really struck me was “If they had stood before me and listened to me”. It seems so simple. If only these false prophets would have listened to the Lord and would have shared with the people what He was telling them, people would have been saved. But they chose not to listen. They made the choice to speak about things they knew nothing about, instead of being willing to learn from the Master, the One who had the answers for those who were seeking.
I have been thinking about this during my recovery. How many times have I spoken without listening to the Lord first? How many times has He been trying to instruct me about His ways and instead of listening, I have chosen to just do my own thing? How often do I care more about my agenda, instead of seeking His agenda? And, how many people haven’t turned from their evil ways and deeds because I haven’t spoken His words since I wasn’t listening?
I don’t know how you feel, but it just blows my mind that the King of Kings wants to talk to me! Why in the world wouldn’t I want to listen? I sure don’t want to stand before the Lord some day and have Him say to me, “Why didn’t you listen to me LuAnn? If you just would have listened, more people would be in heaven today.”
As we go throughout our week, let’s be intentional in asking the Lord to speak to us, directing our every word and action. Whether it is through our reading, praying or even in our conversations with others, let’s make sure we are listening to His every word. Then let’s be willing to use what we are learning to tell others about His saving grace!
Until next week…
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