The Step One in Hearing God

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. john 1:1

From the first pages of Scripture, God speaks. Every time He utters a word, things happen. He says, “Let there be light,” and light comes into being—and He keeps talking until our entire universe is filled with order and life. He calls out a people from among the nations and reveals His purposes through them.

He chooses prophets to deliver His messages when those people are in danger and need to return to Him. And when He sends His own Son to live among us, the Son is called “the Word.” Clearly, we do not serve a silent God.

Many people can’t say with any certainty that God still speaks today, much less to them personally. They can accept His written Word as His voice—generalized for all who read it, of course—but for personal conversations and direction, they strive and strain to hear.

Our theology tells us that God is quite vocal, even if our experience tells us He isn’t. The result of this paradox is a lot of theory, little practice, and a considerable amount of frustration.

Step one in hearing God is acknowledging that He still speaks.

We must be convinced of that in order to press through the frustrations on the way to hearing Him.

Low expectations will undermine our efforts. If we know He’s the Word who always has something to say, we won’t give up easily in our attempts to hear Him. Most of all, we’ll believe—a prerequisite to receiving anything from God. Faith opens our ears.

Believe not only that God still speaks, but that He’s speak- ing to you. He calls you into a relationship, and relationships are based on communication.

Conversations with God are normal— you were designed for them. Believe and listen—and know that you will hear.

Living Word, I invite You to speak to me. I know You have been; please open my ears to hear. I want to learn the sound of Your voice and know Your thoughts. In faith, I’m listening.