Are We Listening?

I’m not sure about you but I cannot text and talk or read an email and talk or even read a text and pay attention if someone asks me a question. I have to physically pause what I’m saying or who I am listening to, read the text and then go back to what the person is saying. This is why it is actually a good practice to avoid checking text messages if you are trying to have a meaningful visit with someone. I suppose our brains are not meant to carry on two conversations at once, who knew?? ?????

There are other times when I’m perhaps purposefully tuning out noise and conversation. My kids will be playing amongst themselves and I will have one earbud in while listening to an audiobook and cleaning the house. There are moments when they will say my name to have me join in the conversation and it may take one or two moms before I hear them.

My question for us today is are we actively listening and hearing God’s voice amidst the distractions and difficulties of life? Sometimes we can say yes but there are other times we cry out and say ‘Lord, why can’t I hear you’? There are times in life we can boldly say we hear God as we are spending time in the Bible, praying and fellowshipping with Him. We hear his voice speaking to our hearts and are filled with his peace and presence. There are other times when you feel broken and torn apart, you are hurting and lonely and the circumstances of life can lead to a valley of sadness and grief and the voice of God seems harder to hear.

There is an example of this in the Old Testament that I want to share,  if you are familiar with the passage then this will be a refresher for you but for me there was a new light shining through on the pages as I read these verses. The Israelites were in the midst of the promise from God that He was going to free them from the hand and rule of Pharoah. They were not free yet, they only had God’s word that He would bring about their freedom.

Moses was advocating before Pharoah to let God’s people go. Pharoah’s heart was hardened and he was not willing to listen to God and let them go. Pharoah disregarded the authority of God and instead of listening and humbling himself and allowing the Israelites to leave, Pharoah increased their workload and had the Israelites struck and beat down. He removed the provision of straw to make bricks and the Israelites were required to find their own straw and still meet the same brick building quota. I’m not really a numbers person, but I do know requiring the same job done with less supplies to do the job will never lead to success. God heard the Israelites groaning and crying out to him. God had never forgotten His covenant established with them and he told Moses to tell the Israelites that He was going to free them from slavery with his outstretched arm and mighty acts of judgement upon the Egyptians. He said that He would be their God and they would know that He alone is Lord, the one who brought them from the slavery and the burden of the Egyptians. That he would bring them with uplifted hand to the land sworn to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They would be provided and cared for and led out from their bondage. See Exodus 5 and 6.

This is the verse I want you to focus on and even read a couple of times: Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.
Exodus 6:9

They did not listen because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery. I saw this verse and realized that there are going to be times in our life when trials are bearing down on us as we face persecution, pain, distress and the burdens of life. The trials are different for each of us but can lead to the same valley of despair. The Israelites were there. They were burdened and they could not hear the voice of the Lord through the pain, persecution and terrible circumstances. They could not hear the hope, the promise, the freedom or blessing God was going to provide them with. They were too broken to hear and listen the voice of the Lord. 

This encouraged me in two ways. First, there will be times we feel like this, our broken, discouraged spirit cannot hear the promises and voice of the Lord. This is a response we may feel at various times in life. However, God always follows through with His promises and he is actively hearing our cries from the valley. He hears us, he sees us and he has a wonderful plan to bring us out of the desolate place, just as he did the Israelites. The exhortation is not to give into discouragement and brokenness but to continually focus on the wonderful promises of God. Our help comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth and His grace is sufficient for us because His power is made perfect in our weakness. The power of Christ Jesus himself rests on us in our weakest moments. We will face trials and tribulations and valleys and in those valleys need to actively listen and seek what God has promised us and not allow the circumstances to dictate our hope.

And second, God is the Lord our God. He loves us and He has never and will never forget His promises to us. He is faithful to us in the valley and will lead us out to the land of promise. He will care for us in the trials just as much as when we are not actively suffering. His promises remain the same because He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So even though you may be facing the most difficult time of life right now, as the Israelites were, you can have hope and trust in the Lord even in the pain. You can trust that he has a good plan for those who love him and are called by him. Romans 8;28 When sin entered this life in the garden, pain and persecution followed it. Evil entered God’s creation and His creation became subjected to facing this evil. But greater is He living in us than he that is in the world and God will always win the battle. I realize some battles may last a lifetime, and sometimes we feel like we are making bricks with no straw, but my encouragement is that God will stand with you and fight for you and deliver you, we can fully rest in this.

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Exodus 14:13-14

Friend, are you listening? God who parted the red sea, who delievered Israel, who raised Jesus from the grave, who moves mountains, who calms storms is actively speaking, working, moving, delievering, comforting and fighting for you. You only need to be still, trust and listen. I encourage you to rest in the finished work of Christ in your life and heart and let him sustain you today. And if you have never rested in Jesus as Lord and Savior, I encourage you to come to Him today.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Romans 10:9?-?10

The Lord Bless You and Keep You,

Kara