Hearing God

God speaks to us in different ways. God has his ways in catching our attention. He works both in forthrightness or in subtlety especially when we are so focused with the cares of the world or too preoccupied with our own desires and plans. He makes ways to speak to us and reminds us of His love and grace. Sometimes God speaks in the most unlikely occassion, place, or time. He uses people and events to speak to us. Amazingly, God can use anything to let us know what He needed to tell us.

For several times, when I experience something that bothers me and I say a short sincere prayer, I am amazed at how God speaks to me when I open the social media. Bible verses streams across my screen which are pointedly related to my situation or so striking that I have no doubt it is God’s message for me. I also experience this when I read blogs here in wordpress. It is amazing how God would lead me to the right direction or how He encourages me through the blogs I read. Yes, God uses things like these to speak to me. Of course, His Word and the conviction of His Spirit whenever I pray are the sure ways God let me realize what He wants to speak to me.

It is important that we are conscious of the voice of God in every moment. We should train our spiritual ears to listen to the voice of God.

“ I will hear what God, Yahweh, will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, his saints; but let them not turn again to folly.”

– Psalms 85:8 (WEB)

Hear God’s voice and allow Him to speak in our life. Not all people could hear the voice of God. Not the audible voice as we hear the sound of our voices but that inner voice and prompting of God through His Word and through people and situations in our life. Only people who knows God, knows His voice. Like a child who knows the voice of his father, so the children of God know the voice of their Father.

During the time of the prophets in the Bible, God speaks to them directly. It is a common occurence in Old Testament times for God to speak to His people through the prophets. It was a direct communication from God to man.

One of the stories in the Bible that gives such an account when God speaks to man is in 1 Samuel 3. Hannah, who made a vow to the LORD that she will give her son to God when God shall answer her prayer, fulfilled her vow and dedicated her son, Samuel, to the LORD. Samuel lived with Eli, the high priest, in the temple at Shiloh. It was there during the time when God was greatly displeased with the sons of Eli because they desecrated the offerings to God that God first spoke to the young boy Samuel.

“Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; for you called me.’ Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down. It shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak; for your servant hears.’ ”

– 1 Samuel 3:8-10 (WEB)

It was evident that Samuel did not yet know it was God’s voice speaking to him and Eli had to teach him what to say and how to respond. When we are new in the faith, we are like the young Samuel, we are not familiar with the voice of God who calls on us through a sermon we hear, the Word we meditated, or the circumstance God allow us to experience. But, being young in faith and unfamiliar with God’s voice is not an issue. God will provide “Elis” on our side — people who could help us, teach us, and guide us in knowing God more. The main concern is how we respond to God. When God speaks, are we willing to listen to Him? Are we willing to follow the voice of God? Could we say the same thing to God as Samuel said, “Speak, LORD, for your servant hears”?

As we grow more in the knowledge of God and His ways, we also become more familiar with His voice. We know, through the Word of God, if the prompting is from His Spirit or not. We know if it is God who is speaking to us or not. Jesus said,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

– John 10:27-28 (WEB)

Give time to open the Bible and hear God speak to you through His Word. Allow God to speak to you completely, and be ready to obey His voice. Listen to the voice of God and answer His call in your life.