Listening to God

At times, we wonder, "God, why can't I hear you clearly?" We read stories in the Bible about God speaking to different people at different times, and we might wonder if God really speaks to people today.

The other day as my son and I rode along in the car, I marveled as I watched my teenage son listening to his IPod. He had an earphone in one ear that piped in music from the latest download on his IPod. He had the other earphone out so that he could hear what was on the car radio with the other ear. All the time, he was playing a handheld video game. I thought to myself, "How can he do that? He is effectively processing 3 mental things at one time."

As I was teaching a Bible study, it occurred to me that my son was effectively practicing what we all should do. With one ear, we listen to God's voice. With the other ear, we listen to the cries of the needy. With our hands and feet, we serve those in need around us. All of us should be triple processing. I think sometimes the earphone piping in God's instructions must fall out of my ear. At other times, I think that I must have somehow plugged up the ear that listens to the cries of the needy around me. Sometimes, I just sit and listen to both without actually doing anything about either.

Elijah learned that God did not speak in the earthquake, strong wind, or fire. God spoke to him in a still small voice. God still speaks the same way today, but sometimes all the other things in our lives drown out that still small voice. We must be attentive to the God-ear if we are to be effective in hearing the cries of the needy or in helping those around us.

How are we listening to God today?