Signpost Church

God either has our ear or He doesn’t. The vast majority of humankind is deaf when it comes to knowing God’s will for their lives. They are utterly estranged from their Creator. How can they know His voice when they don’t know Him? Obedience to God begins with a recognition of who God is and what He is worthy of. When Moses tells Pharaoh what God wants, the scornful king replies: “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go” (Ex. 5:2).

Saul, the first king of Israel, knew what God was worthy of, but didn’t give it to Him. He deceived himself into believing he had “performed” the commandment of God; but he could not deceive God or His prophet. “And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” (1 Sam. 15:13,14)

God had given the king a clear charge, but Saul failed to fully carry it out. In his mind, he had done good enough. He justified sparing the sheep as something the Lord would appreciate as sacrifices in worship. But God was not impressed. He is uninterested in what we think to give Him. No matter how small or great our sacrifice for Him, it can never substitute for our obedience.

Some might think that Saul was removed from being king over minor matters. But there are no “little” sins or “little” obediences. God sees both. He calls us to diligently keep His commands. If we will worship Him as He deserves to be worshipped, we will first hear His charge to us, and then carry it out with precision. God, not the devil, is in the details.

“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.” (1 Samuel 15:22)

— No Substitute for Obedience

It is not enough that we talk to God. Prayer must be a two-way street: He hears from us; we hear from Him.

Our spirit is often overwhelmed. We are perplexed and at a loss to know what to do. We don’t even know how to think about a matter. Perhaps we are so troubled that we cannot speak (Ps. 77:4). Or, our heart is so full that we have to pour it out before Him (Ps. 62:8). Either way, we cannot leave things there. After He has heard from us, we must hear from Him. We must at that point be all ears.

David knew he needed God guidance. The Lord was his shepherd leading him in paths of righteousness (Ps. 23:3). His prayer was: “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day” (Ps. 25:4.5) God may hear our voice in the morning, but we should be open to hear from Him all day long.

Each day has its share of evil. God wants us to call upon Him in the day of trouble. Sometimes, our failure to hear from God is what got us into trouble in the first place. He can help us even at that point, but we have to put on a fresh pair of ears, and pray: “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble” (Ps. 143:10,11). God forbid we add one wrong turn to another. Today is the day to hear His voice, and get back on the right track.

We desperately need God’s wisdom to navigate the waters of our life. Would we know what to do at any juncture? What is our hope of not making a horribly wrong turn, either in our mind or with our feet? Our only hope is that we hear from God.

Get alone with the God of your salvation. He is a refuge to all who put their trust in Him. If we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. Pray: “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”

“I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah. Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.” (Psalm 143:6-8)

— Cause Me to Hear

Sin throws us into confusion. The dizzying combination of guilt, shame, fear, sorrow, and self-loathing creates a mental overload. We are quite incapable of sorting out such a mess.

“We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.” (Jeremiah 3:25)

What does God want us to do? Simply to come to Him with a heart that cries out both for forgiveness and healing. “A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God. Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God” (Jer. 3:21,22)

The Lord alone knows how to restore our soul. When sin has felled us, He knows how to lift us up and get us back on our feet. Where sin has abounded, His grace does much more abound. He would once again fill our hearts with a song of hope and grateful praise to a merciful and powerful God, who not only forgives, but heals.

Don’t try and figure anything out on your own. Determine to look to Him. His light will pierce your darkness. He will give you the robe of righteousness for the mantle of confusion, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies” (Psalm 103:2-4)

— The Mantle of Confusion

Many are the ways that the enemy of our soul would vex us. How subtly does he pour salt into our wounds. How skillfully does he cast our situation in the darkest, dreariest light. We have an enemy whose sole purpose is to bring us down. Down, not only in wanting us to fall, but down in wanting to depress us.

“As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?” (Psalm 42:10)

Devils compound misery. Where there is sorrow of heart, they plant thoughts that turn heartache into hate. “Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Eccl. 2:17). Make no mistake about it – our enemy plays for keeps. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Give him ear long enough and he will have you entertain the most evil of thoughts.

Satan is the god of this world. He savors the things of men only in so far as to torment them when they don’t get all they want in it. But every one of our lives in this world will always fall short in some way or another. None of us can escape disappointment.

Jesus was both a realist and an optimist. He told us we would have tribulation in this world, but to be of “good cheer.” Our enemy has no desire for us to find real joy or peace in the midst of the realities we face. No, he would always hand us the most bitter cup to drink. And after the “happy hour” there’s always a morning of misery he would wake us up to.

Child of God, know that beyond and beneath the circumstances of your life, there is a spiritual component. There is an enemy who would swallow you up, and a good Father who would uphold you. It is your choice whose voice you will hear. Will it be the voice of the Comforter or the discomforter?

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalm 42:11)

— A Sword in Our Bones