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Take Heed, Listen to God

May

It is not too late to take heed and listen to God, as God speaks to you. Richard Foster
says, “Moses learned, albeit with many vacillations and detours, how to hear God’s voice
and obey His word.” Exodus 33:11 (NRSV). God spoke to Abraham and Sarah but they
did not believe, so they took matters into their own hands. Not a good idea! God
delivers in His time, not in our time. There’s a picture of Jesus on my fireplace mantle. I
feel so content looking at Jesus knocking on the door. Interestingly, the door has no
handle on the side where Jesus is knocking. The message is that Jesus is there for us
(knocking at our door) but it is ‘we’ who must open the door for Jesus to strengthen us, to
comfort us, and to hear His message and directions: “Listen!” Jesus speaks, “I am
standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to
you …” (Revelations 3:20 (NRSV). A comrade friend tells me that God never speaks to
him! And I know others feel that way too; but haven’t you ever gotten, an earth-shaking
idea, out of the clear blue? Haven’t you ever exclaimed, “This is it! This is the answer!”
You may have even gotten your life ‘unstuck’, as you started a new positive path.
Your directive can come in the form of pictures, feelings, general concepts, and words.
Immediately, write down what you hear, feel, no matter what it is. You may think it is
irrelevant, but keep writing. Don’t leave anything out. If you cannot write fast enough,
use a tape recorder. Check what you have noted to detect if it is righteous, a benefit to
others, rather than something that will benefit only you. Then you will know, what you
have heard, is truly from God. Psalm 29:3 (NRSV) states, “The voice of the LORD is
powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.” God’s voice can be in the form of
protection, also.
In 1996, I was waiting in my car at a red traffic light on Main St. at Rt. 31. The light
changed to GREEN/GO. I heard a voice saying, “Don’t go!” I sat there dumbfounded
by the gentle but demanding directive: “Don’t go!” I looked behind me to see a car there.
Embarrassed, I tried to push down the accelerator to go, but a vacuum was between the
pedal and my foot, keeping me from going. Strangely, the vacuum eased-up; I touched
the gas pedal; the car laboriously moved forward. Like a nightmare, there was a fatal
crash. Car parts rained on my car, but I was untouched. I had listened! My life had been
saved. It is not too late for you to take heed and listen to God. Jesus says, “My sheep
hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (NRSV). Try it, …open
that door! Let Jesus into your life!