Listening - Experience

"I'm speechless, in awe - words fail me. I've talked too much... 
I'm ready to shut up and listen." Job 40:4-5 The Message

If you have not read any of Richard Foster's writings, I encourage you to do so. He is most known for Celebration of Discipline, but I particularly like Prayer, Finding the Heart's True Home which I have read at least 6 times, each time finding new truths, and I guarantee it will greatly impact your prayer life. Foster's introduction suggests encouraging "one another to discover the footprints of God in our daily existence, and to venture out with God into areas where we have previously walked alone or not at all."

The aim is not external conformity, whether to doctrine or deed, but the reformation of the inner self - of the spiritual core, the place of thought and feeling, or will and character. Richard Foster

My heart's deep desire is to listen to God, to increase my awareness of Him in my daily life. Foster writes, "Challenge yourself to look for God in new places.” He stresses, "The Spiritual Disciplines in and of themselves have no merit whatsoever. They possess no righteousness, contain no rectitude. Their purpose - their only purpose - is to place us before God." I do pray that you will find a devotional or Bible study or some other ways to guide you in contemplating the Scriptures and God's presence in your life. We each must find time to study and listen for God’s voice, to find ourselves, like Job, speechless before God. THEN, we are to share what we learn, what we experience, and put our understanding into practical use. -dho

Holy Father, 

Open my heart, for I long to hear Your voice. I listen for Your instructions, meditate on Your wonders. I collate my random thoughts and lay them at Your altar. Through the silence, I hear Your whispers of mercy and compassion and tenderness. Inside my longing heart, prayers of praise rise to You. My soul finds satisfaction in the shadow of Your protection that exists nowhere else. Holy Spirit, bring His presence and His peace. Amen.  ~ dho

Listening - Obedience

 

“...You must all be quick to listen...  But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says...” James 1: 19-26 NLT

Listening is harder for people, usually because we often have something we want to convey or tell. Taking self out of the conversation opens the door for better listening. Henri Nouwen writes, “Listening is giving our full attention - which requires welcoming [others] into our very beings.” Laying down self is essential to being a good listener.

However, we are not only called to listen but to respond. God’s word gives us direction and discernment in all the matters of life. Sometimes, we need to sharpen our listening skills with others, but more importantly with God. Wiersbe says, “It is not reading the Bible that makes a person happy; it is obeying what it says.” In listening with intention, we develop a listening obedience. Let our heart’s desire for genuine obedience be seen in outward actions. dho

Listening - Silence

 “But oh! God is in his holy Temple!
    Quiet everyone—a holy silence. Listen!” Habakkuk 2:20

It is good to simply be quiet, sit in the quiet and listen for God. Too often we busy ourselves with living life, too busy to listen, too busy doing, even too busy talking to God. Noise and activity drown us, suffocate us. Listening must be intentional. 

Silence takes many forms. Find a place of silence that fits your life. Then recognize God, be His holy Temple, rest in the holy silence. Listen! Recently I saw this reminder, “The word listen has the same letters as the word silent.” Our souls crave silence, are starving for quiet. Spend some time today - in silence - and listen! -dho

Listening: Discipline

A spiritual life requires discipline because we need to learn to listen to God, who constantly speaks but whom we seldom hear. When, however, we learn to listen, our lives become obedient lives.  Henri Nouwen 

We struggle with listening. Either we do not hear what God is saying to us, or we choose not to respond to what He asks. If we do not listen for God, we have little hope of developing our obedience. Matthew 6:6 ~ Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace. 

I believe faith is the foundation for our listening hearts. Without faith, can there be obedience to God? The word obedient comes from the Latin word audire, which means "listening". It would seem that Henri Nouwen would go one step further and say that without listening, obedience is absent. He concludes, "The core of all prayer is indeed listening, obediently standing in the presence of God." ~dho

September Memories Part 4

Do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgements, and His statues which I command you today - when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful homes and dwell in them; . . . For it is He who gives you power to get wealth.

Deuteronomy 8:11-12,18 NKJV

We find ourselves surrounded by plenty and more. While we love dwelling in the beautiful places, our hearts do not always acknowledge The Giver. Forgetting The Giver, we soon stray from His guidance, His promises, and His provisions. In time, we lose sight of His Glory and sit around full yet dissatisfied. Don't forget! - dho

September Memories Part 3

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers [and sisters] to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1

September calls with cooler nights and Friday night high school football games and halftime shows! The sweltering summer days and days of marching and preparation are almost forgotten as the game begins. Excitement from the first notes of the “Fight Song” and cheerleaders rallying the crowd summons everyone coming together, supporting each other, cheering for each other. Memories of September linger with us all as autumn’s night air surrounds us.

All former band members share the same familiar camaraderie that must happen in teamwork. Whether is comes in remembering of all the hard work, the half-time shows that require near perfection, the trips and competitions and performances off the field, or, later, in the scholarships that reward the work as new beginnings in college call. This bond is cemented with stories and more stories about the band bus, the mistakes, the freezing Christmas parades, the dropped music, and so much more. There is unity in this bond, and even long years after, it is good!

Community is about the whole, about being a smaller part of something bigger. Band memories rise when we hear old, familiar music like The Carpenters, Three Dog Night, Chicago, along with Sousa, and more. Reflections of friendships formed decades ago trace the places etched in our hearts. God reminds us about the goodness of dwelling together in unity. September memories recall those sweet, more innocent days of lining up in the end zone a minute before the half ready to perform as a whole, together as a community. Let’s remember the goodness we find in the unity of purpose, of brotherhood and sisterhood (or band-hood). It is good! - dho