Hearing God Speak
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When in Israel, we went to the wilderness, an area described in the Bible as “a parched land” (Hosea 2:3), “a barren and howling waste” (Deut 32:10), “that vast and dreadful desert” (Deut 1:19). Dry, barren hills filled the horizon. The sun beat down relentlessly, even though it was November. There wasn’t a blade of grass or even a scrubby bush as far as the eye could see. Yet, in the gorge before us, hewn into the rock, was a monastery, centuries old. Though hundreds of feet below us, we could hear the trickle of water in the aqueduct built thousands of years ago.
This incongruent scene formed an indelible picture in my mind. The silence spoke powerfully. In this harsh, inhospitable land, a person’s very existence would be dependent on God.
Life Lesson: Biblical perspective on the end times
Experience It: Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit
I read recently that the meaning of one of the Hebrew words translated ‘wilderness’ in the Old Testament is ‘the place where God speaks’. With a picture of the wilderness already embedded in my mind, understanding leaped into being.
When we are in a lonely and difficult place, away from the busyness of prosperity and the ease of abundance, when we are dependent on God for our very existence, this is the place where God speaks. Certainly, it is the place where we are more likely to listen.
From the days of Moses and before, God has been calling people of faith to listen to Him. In fact, a main purpose in our lives is to hear God speak. God wants to be known by us. Therefore, He has revealed Himself through Jesus, through His word – the Bible, and by His Holy Spirit.
Our role is to listen, to hear and to respond.
Holy God, my very existence depends on hearing from You. Show me how to make listening to Your voice my mission in life. Amen
Questions: Are you listening to God? Do you find it easier to hear God in the wilderness? What can you do today to make yourself more able to hear God?
About the Author Suzanne Benner
Suzanne, thank you for the devotional. The prayer that is written at the bottom here says exactly what’s in my heart——that my very existence depends on hearing from God. Amen, praise be to God
Being on the outside of God’s will feels like being in,“a barren and howling waste”,“that vast and dreadful desert”,“a parched land”. it is very refreshing when you do findly hear the still small voice of God nudging you back to the proper path way. I’m am so glad that falling in love with God’s will and purpose for my life is a journey will last.