Hearing His Voice #140

[God said,] “This is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people.”

Isaiah 58:6

FROM THE HEART OF GOD

“Are you looking for ways to show your devotion to Me? Many people do. They imagine long, intense times of prayer; listening to around-the-clock worship music; becoming deeply involved in a ministry that oozes true spirituality; reading the Bible for hours a day and memorizing lots of verses; being poor enough to demonstrate detachment from the things of the world, yet rich enough to put impressive amounts in the offering plate for missions; having great faith, but without taking any foolish risks; and more. Your definitions of devotion may be off sometimes, but I love the heart behind all of these things when you do them in the right spirit, and none of them when you don’t.

“Very few people take time to ask some really important questions. They look for ways to show devotion to me, without asking what’s really on My heart. What do I desire? What pleases Me? You know I love faith and a desire to fulfill My purposes, but do you take time to think about what My purposes really are? If you’re listening for My voice, here are some things you should know: My heart is drawn to the oppressed, those who have been beaten up by the world, whose hearts are broken. I hate the devastation of sin, and I hate its visible manifestations. And I love those who want My purposes and power to flow through them to fix things that are wrong in this world.

“When you listen for My voice, expect Me to talk about this often. Expect Me to give you assignments that no one will notice or honor you for. Expect not only to hear My voice but also to become My voice in situations that need to be made right.”

Father, I’m so busy looking to satisfy my own heart that I miss the opportunity to satisfy Yours. Open my eyes wide enough to see beyond my own surroundings and into situations that weigh heavily on Your mind.