Listen to His Voice

Have you ever noticed how quickly people dismiss God’s word today? Whether it’s an encounter with a stranger in the grocery store, or a long-time member of the church, people today seem to have settled it in their minds that they already know all they need to know and therefore don’t need to hear it any longer, or they don’t care to know anything at all about it and just want to be left alone.

As many of you that spend a lot of time in the Bible are aware, this is not exactly a new phenomenon. It’s been like this since the beginning. Remember that couple in the garden that decided that they knew better than God what was best for them?  

I was reminded of this as I was studying in the book of Jeremiah this week, and it came as no great surprise to find yet another example of it. The prophet had just delivered a thundering rebuke to the kings of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem because they had rejected the Lord and polluted His house.

As you read the words that Jeremiah delivered to the people, it should be obvious to them that they have brought upon themselves a level of punishment they were not expecting.

“Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring such a catastrophe on this place, that whoever hears of it, his ears will tingle”. [1]

Now, I would like to think that had I been there and heard this proclamation, I would have immediately repented and turned my heart towards the Lord. At the very least, one would think such a prophecy would strike terror in the hearts of all that heard it. You would think, right?

Unfortunately, however, when God’s people turn away from Him, their ears quickly dull of hearing His voice, which in itself is a mystery, because those same ears have no difficulty in hearing what a million other voices are saying to them. Maybe there is some truth to the whole ‘selective hearing’ thing after all?

Be that as it may, and whether we receive it or not, God’s word is never spoken in vain. There is always a purpose when the Lord speaks. Whether through the pages of His word or from a pulpit on Sunday morning, the word of God declares the very heart of God. Listen to another prophet as he likens God’s word to the snow and rain that falls in order to provide water for growth.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it”.  [2]

By this we understand that God has given us His word as a great benefit for us. The tragedy, however, is when it is rejected. When we consider it as unnecessary for our lives or judge it to be of no value to us, or if we refuse to humble our hearts and accept it because it offends us, we miss out on all its benefits.

Some might ask “well, why then did the Lord say His word would not return to him void, but would accomplish what He pleased if in fact we reject it? What has been accomplished”?

What has been accomplished is that in our rejection of His word, we have considered it, and to a nation whose ears are dull of hearing this is enough. Our decision to reject the word of God stands as a testimony against us, a testimony that will be revealed in that great day when we give account for the life we’ve lived.  

Judah refused to hear the word of the Lord and suffered terribly, ultimately enslaved by Babylon. America has refused to hear the word of the Lord and is even now suffering terribly, with far more severe judgments to come shortly. The entire world has refused to hear the word of the Lord and is teetering on the brink of WWIII. I wouldn’t wonder if many of our ears don’t tingle at the thought of the catastrophe that awaits us!

My prayer for you all is to listen to what the Lord is saying to you today. Let His word work in your heart, your home, and in your family. God’s “word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”.  [3]

May it guide you safely through the troubled waters of this life.

Have a blessed day, in Jesus name!

Ron

[1] Jeremiah 19:3

[2] Isaiah 55:11

[3] Psalm 119:105