Hearing His Voice #339

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”

Psalm 27:8

David’s heart heard God invite him to come and talk, and he responded by accepting the invitation. Most people are comfortable with the idea of David having this conversation with God, but far fewer are comfortable with claiming it for themselves. How many people claim, “God told me to come and talk with Him”? It can sound presumptuous, yet this is exactly the invitation He gives us—not just to everyone in Scripture, but to each of us individually in conversation with Him. If our hearts are listening, this is what we’ll hear.

We don’t normally have any shortage of words for God, but we do think He’s short on words for us. And when we listen, we very often expect Him to focus on what’s wrong—where we need to be fixed or what He wants us to do that we haven’t done yet. But God’s invitation is much more relational than that, and He has much more on His mind than “fixing” us. He wants conversation, and He wants us to know that a conversation with Him isn’t all about troubleshooting our lives. God knows that any relationship, human or divine, that is always centered on advice and instructions is unappealing and draining. And it isn’t satisfying for any party involved—including God.

Conversation with God is life giving. He breathes His love into us and is far more focused on encouraging us than on tearing us down or telling us how to improve. When He says, “Come and talk with Me,” He actually wants heart-to-heart interaction. And we have nothing to fear by giving it to Him.

Lord, I admit that I’m sometimes reluctant to have a conversation with You because I assume it will be about my shortcomings. I know this is shortsighted and that it grieves You. As I come to You, give me ears to hear Your life-giving encouragement and blessing. May Your words fill me with hope and joy and peace.