“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts . . .” Psalm 95:7-8
This morning I had an incredible conversation with my boys on the way to school about moments when they heard God speak to them about something of Himself or of themselves. If you want a quiet ride to school, apparently that’s the question to ask! In the silence I began to think. Is their silence because they don’t like talking about this subject? I concluded that not the case given the many conversations we have had about God, their relationships with Christ and living in and through Him daily. So that couldn’t be the reason. I further wondered if their silence was because they never had a moment where they heard God speak to them. Given they were in middle-school, I quickly concluded that if they listen to God like they listen to us instructing them to clean up after themselves then the likelihood of God speaking is high and their listening is low. This left only one final conclusion to the mystery of their silence. Could it be possible that God has spoken to them time and time again only to learn they weren’t listening to know it was Him?
In a moment with the twelve disciples when asked whom among them was the greatest, Jesus called upon a child to teach them. He said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4) Like children? Children don’t like to listen very much — they tend to have their own agenda in life. As parents, we have to train our children to hear our voice, detect danger in our tone and recognize the voice of correction. In that same way, I learned this morning that it is entirely possible that our boys don’t see moments in their life when God is speaking to them about Himself or themselves because they don’t recognize it.
So this week, they are on a mission — not one impossible, but more possible than ever to hear His voice. Their ears are perked up and their hearts are open — come Lord Jesus and shine your love, exercise yourself in the lives of those that surround our boys . . . speak, reveal and demonstrate your grace and beauty! May your glory shine all around and blind them.
“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” Revelation 21:23
by: Mark Cruver