Sep 24 – A Heart That Listens!

“And you shall return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you.” (Deuteronomy 30:2–3)

Let your heart be a heart that hears the voice of the Lord. More than merely hearing His voice, let it be a heart that listens to Him and obeys Him. Deuteronomy 28:1–14 gives a detailed account of the blessings that follow when we diligently obey the voice of the Lord, while the remainder of the chapter speaks of the consequences that come when His voice is not obeyed.

We hear the voice of the Lord primarily through His Word. All Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and His Word is spirit and life. It speaks directly to our soul and spirit.

The Word strengthens us in times of weariness. It replaces discouragement and unbelief with faith. Whenever we are perplexed and do not know which way to go, it becomes a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

“The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.” (Psalm 29:4)

There are some who argue with God and raise unnecessary questions: “Why doesn’t the Bible explicitly say that we should not drink alcohol?” “Does Scripture say that we should not watch television programmes?” “Where does it say that we should not smoke?” Their arguments can go on endlessly.

The deeper problem is that they have no desire to listen to the Word of God with all their heart. Instead of asking, “What does the Lord desire of me?”, they look for the minimum requirement they can get away with.

Even people in the world often reject drunkenness, immorality and gambling. Many do not even desire worldly forms of entertainment. Should not the children of righteousness and holy God exceed the standards of the world?

When you offer your sacrifice of praise to the Lord and wait before Him, the Lord will speak to you. He may speak through His Word, and He may guide you through dreams or visions according to His will. Therefore, be attentive to His voice and respond with obedience.

When we listen to the Lord, His blessings surround us. But when we refuse to hear Him and harden our hearts, we place ourselves on a path that leads to sorrow and loss. Dear children of God, keep yourselves far from the path of disobedience and walk in the blessings of obedience. Cultivate a listening heart. Read the Word prayerfully, meditate upon it carefully, and be willing to obey whatever the Lord shows you.

Verse for further meditation: “The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” (Deuteronomy 28:12)