In the coming months, our family will reach our 2nd year mark living and serving in El Salvador. It’s a bit hard to believe that we have been here that long already. In some ways the time has flown, in other ways it feels as if we have lived another lifetime here. I have learned many lessons over the last year, and I thought I’d share them as we all retool for the new year. I have written 10 lessons and will release a few at a time over the next week.
Lesson 1: If God produced a Godcast would I listen? I can only hear God when I listen
I love my ipod. I can’t overstate this. I love it. It has allowed me to stay connected to the world while living in El Salvador. I love the option to listen to music, but really I love that on demand, I can listen to news analysis, political debates, cultural commentary, sermons, bible courses, etc. The list is endless. I use the word “love”, because it really is the only possession that I feel emotionally attached to, fearing that loosing it would cause pain. I spilled coffee on it yesterday and actually caught myself praying to God that He protect it from harm.
Yet, there is one problem. God has not yet published a podcast. It would be very easy for Him to do. He probably already owns a mac. He could put the onion out of business. Think about it, a Godcast. Doesn’t that sound amazing. I could sync every morning, and on my way to work hear exactly what God wants for my life. He could give me instructions on how I should treat people, what tasks I should do in the day, and remind me of the sin that is my life. He could tell me great stories from long ago. I’m sure His timing and delivery is out of this world. Surely, with a targeted Godcast, specifically produced for me, I would be able to live out the perfect Christian life.
But, would I listen to my Godcast? I may, but I’d be tempted to first listen to NPR’s wrap up of the news, or APM”s Marketplace. I sure enjoy listening to the political pundits, the economists, and the weekly stories from Businessweek. Comedy Central puts out some funny stand up acts. And the sermons, don’t even get me started. Francis Chan has been hitting it out of the park lately. When I want my spiritual spanking, I just listen to Piper. When I want hear the gospel with flavor I listen to Driscoll. Brian Howard gives it to me straight. There just isn’t enough time in my day to process it all.
Here’s my lesson. Do I want to listen to God? A Godcast would just have to compete with all the other podcasts. I may listen at first, but if God didn’t deliver what I wanted to hear, I most likely would select another program. When my ears are tickled, my mind challenged, and my funny bone struck by all the voices available to me, it becomes easy to stop listening to God’s.
I have heard a lot of debate surrounding the theological matter of “listening to God.” Many argue that God really doesn’t speak today, that we can only extract his voice from written words in the Bible. The problem is that too often those words are not alive to us. There are millions of us who read the Word, only to walk away and live contrary to its teachings. Yet, we are all too willing to listen to everyone else, preachers, politicians, parents, friends, you name it. But, how often do I follow the words of the Lord who consistently said to be still and listen to Him. How often do I shut out all of these voices, and simply listen to God's?
Listening to God happens in my spirit, not with my ears. It requires me to be still. It requires me to humbly submit my heart to the Holy Spirit when I approach Scripture, and ask Him to teach me. It requires me to not ignore that still quiet voice that convicts me, encourages me, or leads me to do something. It requires me to listen. God is speaking all the time. The Godcast is always on. The question is “will I listen?”
Last year I tried to listen more to God, and I can say that when I did, He spoke. When I say “spoke”, I’m not just talking about words. God is not confined to using the English vocabulary. His voice is gentle, but powerful. I best hear him when I humbly approach His Word. Yet, if I listen, He speaks to me throughout the day. We have a relationship that is alive. How silly would it be for me to believe in prayer, in which I do all the talking without believing that He wants to respond to me? In fact, some of my best times in prayer have been when I shut up and try to listen. In the coming year I want to listen to God more. I want to know his voice in Scripture as well as His active voice moment by moment in the grind of my daily life.
side note : for more reading on hearing God, check out Dallas Willard’s HEAring God. It is phenomenal.