The ability to hear is indeed an amazing sense God has given to humanity. With it we can make momentary judgements between danger or peace, calm or excitement, sadness or joy. In a crowded room we can be bombarded by a multitude of sounds, and yet distinguish the voice of one calling to us from the other side. On a busy city street we're confronted by the rumble of tires, the screeching of brakes, the horns of irritated drivers, and still we can make out the remote beep of our own parked vehicle. Or, in the midst of a wide open wilderness we might discern the distant roar of a river's fall, the busy chatter of flitting magpies, a rustling of aspen leaves, and quickly perceive the piercing cry of an eagle.
As easily it seems for us to use this gift of hearing we've been given it somehow can seem very hard to hear the voice of our Creator. While it may not be the audible sense of hearing that is required the skill involved is quite the same. I found since truly beginning to follow Jesus that He has much that He wants to tell me. Hearing Him however, requires my willingness to listen.
Will I turn the radio off while I'm driving to work even for a moment? Will I take time to really notice other people that have real need? That may seem like a strange question in relation to hearing God, but might He have something to tell me by noticing, dare I say caring, of them? Am I willing to take a few minutes to ask the Lord what He might think about the enormous decision I'm about to make? And what about the little ones? Doesn't He care about those too?
Then of course, if I'm really concerned with knowing what the Lord would say to me, that is if I really want to hear Him I'll open the pages of His Bible. And I won't just read the words I find there, rather I will allow His words to read me. I'll take a few moments and consider the message before me and I might even ask Him if He has anything further to show me, then I might just wait. Of course...that's if I really want to hear.
