Take Time to Hear God

“Now Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, ‘Ask what you wish me to give you.’

Then Solomon said, ‘You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding (hearing) heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?’” 1 Kings 3:3-9

The result of seeking God is a life abandoned to Him. Oswald Chambers wrote: “The destiny of my spiritual life is such identification with Jesus Christ that I always hear God, and I know that God hears me (John 11:41). If I am united with Jesus Christ, I hear God, by the devotion of hearing all the time. A lily, or a tree, or a servant of God, may convey God’s message to me. What hinders me from hearing is that I am taken up with other things.

It is not that I will not hear God, but I am not devoted in the right place. I am devoted to things, to service, to convictions, and God may say what He likes but I do not hear Him. The child attitude is always, ‘Speak, Lord for Thy servant is listening’ (1 Sam 3:9). If I have not cultivated this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God’s voice at certain times; at other times I am taken up with things...”

In seeking God, we make a choice either to take time to listen or spend our lives frantically working in our own strength. God’s guidance is always clear. There may be valleys and hills along our way; but because we have spent time with Him, we can know He is near. As you open His Word today, pray that He will speak specifically to your heart.