Listen to Him

Have You Ever Felt Like You Were Talking to Stone?

Marble Statue Outside the Gates of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

June 2009

1 Samuel 15:22 (The Message)
"Then Samuel said, Do you think all God wants are sacrifices - empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production."

1 Samuel 15:22 KJV
"And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

Students gathered in my room early in the morning before school to talk to me. I was usually rushed to start computers, but in the process, I listened to them and assessed the information they revealed to me.

If the conversation became serious, I closed the door to give us privacy, stopped my daily set-up routine, and sat down with the child to listen with both ears as I leaned forward in my seat to study the student. 

At that point, I could completely focus on body language, voice tone, pitch, eye contact, and twitches or any other signs of stress that would indicate if I should refer the student to guidance for a follow-up visit later in the day.

Listening isn't a passive encounter among individuals. It's active and involves energy and empathic listening skills. 

While not every piece of information I receive is serious, I have upon occasion received disturbing news that required help. Many years ago, I reported information to a school's guidance office, which ended up being forwarded to the Department of Family and Children Services. 

God would also like me to reveal all to Him. He already knows my secrets, so no sense trying to run and hide under a tree or bush like Adam and Eve. I might as well discuss my faults with him. He knows me better than anyone.

I'm pretty good at speaking, and I think I'm improving with my conversations with God, but listening is another matter.

I'm still a strong-willed, hard-headed, put my head down and forge forward type of gal. I expect others to see the wisdom in my path, but I'm not consistent checking in with God to see if this is the path He approves of. I need to listen before I blaze trails.

So this is my recipe for improving my relationship with God for the rest of my life:

Listen. Talk. Listen. Listen. Talk. Listen. Listen Listen. Talk. Listen. Listen Listen. Listen. Talk. Listen. Listen Listen. Listen. Listen. Talk. Repeat.

Well, something like that. I'm still a work in progress, after all.  :)
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Thank you, Lord, as you help me grow in my spiritual walk.