“Thus God used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” Exodus 33:11
The Bible is filled with role models, but I can’t think of a better mortal one than Moses. He was a leader, but also a listener. More importantly, he listened to God.
Here is the lesson we learn from Moses that we should apply each and every day: Prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue. God’s voice is the most essential part. Listening to God’s voice is the secret of assurance that he will listen to mine.
I once heard someone say that if we have only ten minutes to pray, we should spend the first half listening and the second half petitioning. Yet most of us rush into pray at a hundred miles an hour with gusts to one hundred fifty and rattle off out a list of I wants, but God wants us to listen to His wants as well.
Moses had a special relationship with God because he spent time alone with Him. With all he had to do in running the nation of Israel, he always took time to be alone with God.
We are the ones who don’t know how to listen or do not have the time to hear what He would say to us. We need to develop a habit of spending time with God that is undisturbed, focuses and determined.
In her book Listening to God, Joyce Huggett spells out nine steps to develop this spiritual discipline, especially in times of turmoil.
1. Physical relaxation and silence
2. Becoming aware of God’s presence
3. Surrendering to Him in obedience
4. Acceptance of ourselves as He sees us
5. Repentance and receiving forgiveness
6. Spending time in contemplation
7. Receiving grace and expressing gratitude
8. Listening to specific instructions
9. Moving to action
Can you find more space in your day to meet with God? We all prefer talking to listening and need His grace to talk less and listen more.
Have you approached listening to God today?
By John Grant
Used by Permission
Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/
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FURTHER READING
Eagerly Watch – a story about eagerly watching for how God answers a prayer
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