When God Speaks, Listen

When God Speaks, Listen

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. Hebrews 1:1-2

When preparing my team for a game, I often used a lot of different ways to get my message across. On Wednesday I would start by addressing the team and giving them our plan. Sometimes it would be strictly football, but many times I would relate it to life, using stories from the Bible to illustrate a point about football. I would show a videotape of our upcoming opponent or have the assistant coaches go over scouting reports on that team’s strengths and weaknesses. We would pass out our game plan, where the players would see diagrams of plays we intended to run or defenses we would use that week. Sometimes I would have a guest speaker address the team or have veteran players talk about the importance of playing well that week. Many different people and materials, but all delivering the message that I, as the coach, wanted to get across.

The same is true with God. He uses different means to communicate with His family. We are His children, and God has been speaking to us since the beginning of Creation and in our lives since the time He formed us in our mother’s womb. He began by using the prophets, but now he speaks to us through Christ and the Holy Spirit. He is always speaking to us, despite that more often than not we are not listening. Sometimes we think we are listening but cannot hear. That’s the way family is at times. Sometimes we’re waiting to hear that big booming voice of God, but that’s not how He speaks. Instead, He speaks to us in the quiet words of our spouse, a parent, or one of our children or a friend.

The key to good communication is for the speaker to enunciate well and use words that can be understood; the listener needs to listen and to focus on what is being said and not what he or she wants to say. God knows what He is saying and how to say it—we need to be still and listen for His voice. It’s always a good idea to start in His Word—the Bible.

Have you heard Him speaking to you lately? Have you quieted yourself enough to catch what He is saying? Listen closely. You’re in His family.

Uncommon Key > God speaks to you through many means, including through His Spirit, through others, and through His Word. Start jotting down the messages He is giving you.