Focus

Turn off your cell phone, TV, or radio. Listen to the silence that is around you. Listen for God to speak to you.

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Read

Psalm 81 (NRSV)

Sing aloud to God our strength;
shout for joy to the God of Jacob.
Raise a song, sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp.
Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our festal day.
For it is a statute for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
He made it a decree in Joseph,
when he went out over the land of Egypt.

I hear a voice I had not known:
“I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
In distress you called, and I rescued you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
Hear, O my people, while I admonish you;
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

“But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
O that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,
and turn my hand against their foes.
Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,
and their doom would last forever.
I would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

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Reflect

Listening is an art! Not everyone has the skill. Not everyone slows down long enough to hear what is being said. Children sometimes are challenged with listening and following directions; many adults have the same difficulty.

A few years ago, I heard a childcare worker say to a child, “Listen to my words.” I was impressed. What a great way to signal to the child that the adult was trying to make clear what was expected. We have scripture to help us hear God’s words to us. Psalm 81 seems to shout, “Listen to my words!!”

Slowing down to listen to what someone is saying takes effort. Being still to hear God takes discipline. Silence can be uncomfortable, but may be necessary to hear clearly what God is saying.

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Pray

Dear God, we struggle to be still and listen. We struggle to comprehend and follow your directions. Help us to hear clearly and understand so that we may be moved to act on your behalf. We love you and want to listen better! Thank you for your patient love for us! Amen.

Go with God.