Hearing His Voice #43

[Anna] never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about [Jesus] to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

Luke 2:37-38

Anna was a fixture at the Temple—an eighty-four-year-old widow who had spent most of her time there since her husband died in their youth. She worshiped God day and night, praying and fasting in wholehearted devotion. So when Joseph and Mary brought the infant Jesus to the Temple for His dedication, Anna knew. She sensed His uniqueness. She perhaps overheard the prophecy of Simeon about this child’s destiny, and it resonated with her. This worshiper had ears to hear.

That’s because worship draws us close to God and opens our ears to His voice. We may think of adoration and worship as separate issues from receiving God’s guidance, but they go hand in hand. When we spend our time adoring Him in gratitude and praise, our hearts synchronize with His. As we cultivate the relationship, we begin to hear and know things we didn’t expect to hear and know. When our focus is on God, we perceive the things of His Spirit. That’s just how it works.

Perhaps that’s why many who strain to hear God’s voice as an end in itself often find nothing but frustration, while those who focus on God and their relationship with Him often hear His voice without even trying. When we can relax and do what we were created to do—enjoy God and adore Him for all His goodness—we sense His heartbeat. We tend to prioritize hearing His voice, and as a result, we miss out on both the voice and the relationship; but prioritizing the relationship gets us everything that comes along with it, including His voice. Our love and worship are vital in opening our ears.

Father, I pour out my love for You—not because I want things from You, but because You are my priority. Let me enjoy Your goodness and seek Your heart above all else.