Listen for His Voice
Scripture
This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name would never be blotted out nor destroyed from before me” (Isaiah 48:17–19).
Reflection
Regret is a terrible thing—when we regret something, there has been an irreversible mistake, sometimes small, often huge. If only I had listened to my parents when they told me to study harder or be more careful in choosing my friends. If only I had listened to my doctor telling me to lose weight, eat healthier meals, and exercise. “If only” implies that I didn’t do what I wish I had done and have suffered the consequences of bad grades, bad friends, or poor health. There is a wistfulness in “if only.” We have chosen badly and cannot go back and correct our path. Would that it was different, but it wasn’t and now can’t be.
Parents are no strangers to the phrase either; they too, wish their children made better choices. In Isaiah 48 we see that God also wished that his children had followed a different path. If only you had listened to me, to my commands, to my Law, to my prophets, instead of running amok in the ways of the world… God’s “if only” is different, though, because he is not only the creator and Father of his people, but he is also the Redeemer and Holy One. He is different because he can help us right our wrongs.
God continues to teach his people through his Spirit and his Word. His teachings are true; they lead to peace within our souls and in the world. Only in his truth can we find joy and life eternal. Every day, every moment of every day, God shows us the path we should take in life. We must discern that path and then, choose to travel it.
But, for discernment, we must LISTEN to God’s voice, which means taking the time to quiet our spirits and attend to the One who alone can show us the path of life. If we don’t hear him clearly, we must pray for discernment. We can pray as Samuel did in 1 Samuel 3:10: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Or perhaps we can use the prayer placed on the lips of Jesus by the author of Hebrews: “Here I am … I have come to do your will, my God” (Hebrews 10:7).
When we, wait, watch, and listen with expectation, the Lord will answer our prayer. Somehow, in the silence of our hearts or the events of our lives, the Lord will speak. If we listen for his voice and follow where he is calling us, he will be true to his promises: our peace will be like a river, our well-being like the waves of the sea. That’s his promise.
Prayer
Lord, You speak to us in the silence of our hearts, but we need to slow ourselves down and listen for your voice, which often seems like a whisper, easily drowned out by the tumult of our times and the chaos of our lives. Give us ears to hear you and a willingness to do your will, no matter what you ask of us, regardless of the cost.
Activity
Set aside some time this evening, sit quietly, slow down your thoughts, and listen for the voice of the Lord to speak to you. As you sit quietly, breathe in and out. With each in-breath, pray, “Here I am, Lord.” As you breathe out, pray, “I have come to do Your will.” Do this for at least 15 minutes.
Watching and Waiting For the Lion of Judah: Advent Day by Day
Rev. Richard Hasselbach