The Need To Hear God's Voice

I spent the first half of my Saturday speaking at First Baptist Mize women's brunch. Even on a rainy, dreary day, the church was packed. They had to line the walls with chairs! These women were so full of life and were eager to hear from the Holy Spirit. Thank you, ladies, for a "Son-filled" weekend after all!

The more older I get, the more I realize the need to hear the voice of God. Luke 12:47 makes a brutal statement, "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows." That isn't the kindest passage, is it? As I reflect on last week's fast and the fast I'm currently on, I'm seeing that prayer and fasting makes one sensitive to the voice of the Lord. With all of the pressures and schedules pulling me here, there and yonder, it is enabling me to hear Him above everything else going on around me.

I wonder why we as Christians have gotten out of the habit of prayer and fasting? Instead we've gone to setting out "fleeces" in an attempt to know God's will for our life.

As a parent, I have a tendency to say, "just wait" or "just hold on" to my children. If I keep giving them this same answer, they become frustrated over time and do whatever they want to anyway. When I give a "no" answer, it is because I don't believe my child is ready for whatever they've asked for or what they've asked for is not good for them. When they get older and show more maturity and demonstrate responsibility, my "no" is lifted and becomes a "yes".

God knows what we can handle and He knows what is good for us. He already knows what we will do with what He gives us. Therefore, God doesn't answer our prayers in vague terms. His answers are specific and to the point. Because we Christians no longer hear the voice of God clearly, we act like immature preteens and end up getting ourselves into trouble in the process. It's time we grow up and act like adult believers.

Through last week's fast, I learned that every decision I make should be inspired by God; every move I make should be ordained by Him. If my decisions and moves aren't ordained by Him and His will for my life, I shouldn't be surprised when it isn't a success. God isn't trying to hide His will or to make it some mystery difficult to figure out. I think He just wants to be able to communicate with us anytime what it is He wants for us. He wants us to seek Him.

Acts 17:27 says it best, "God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."