“Whoever has ears, let them hear.” – Matthew 11:15
Do you remember what you studied in school? If you’re like me, you might have some gaps in your memory! I’m sure I’ve forgotten more than I’ve learned.
Educators determine what should be in our courses and then they design curriculum to convey all that information. But most of it doesn’t stick! Before tests, I’d have facts and figures bouncing around in my head and I’d try to spit them all out on paper. But right after, I’d forget what I learned because I had to clear space for the next truckload of data.
The information fades unless we use it. If we act on what learn, we pick it up faster and it stays with us longer. This is the way God designed us.
Deciding
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been referring to the work of Jesuit theologian Bernard Lonergan. (Here are the links to posts one, two, three, and four.) Early in his career, he described human knowledge as a process of experiencing, understanding, and judging. Yet, he felt his approach was too abstract; it lacked a connection to the moral dimension of life. So he added “deciding” to the sequence. According to Lonergan, we come to know something by involving ourselves in the series of experiencing, understanding, judging, and deciding.
This structure applies to the spiritual realm, too. Hearing God is a process. We can’t say we’ve heard the Lord unless we’re willing to do what He says.
Obeying
The biblical term for decision is obedience.
“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” – Genesis 22:18 (NASB)
When God told Abraham that He would give him a son in his old age, he believed the promise. It took years to fulfill, but the Lord rewarded Abraham’s faith and obedience with Isaac.
“Samuel said, ‘Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.’ 24Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice.’” – 1 Samuel 15:22-24 (NASB)
In an age saturated with social media and instant news, many voices compete for our attention. Which ones will we listen to? Whom do we deem worthy of our commitments? We have to decide. The prophet Samuel confronted King Saul because he feared the opinions of his countrymen more than he honored the Lord.
Doing
The Lord won’t waste words; He speaks to us because He expects us to respond to what He reveals. In the Bible, hearing is doing.
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” – Luke 6:46-49
To hear the voice of Jesus and fail to do what He says is as disastrous as not hearing Him at all. In either case, the end result is the same–ruination.
“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” – James 1:22-25 (NASB)
Sensing the voice of the Lord is a wonderful experience. Understanding what the Spirit tells us is awesome. And agreeing with His instructions gives us certainty and direction.
But failing to act? It’s as if we forgot what He told us, like we’ve lost track of most of what we learned in school.
If we don’t act, did we hear? In a technical sense, yes, we did. But not in an ultimate sense.
Purpose
What’s the purpose of hearing God?
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” – John 10:27 (NASB)
Hearing and following Jesus characterize discipleship. When we obey the Lord, we verify that we’ve heard Him. Engaging with His leading proves we paid attention.
“You are my friends if you do what I command you.” – John 15:14 (NASB)
Besides evincing our dedication to Christ, obedience also deepens our relationship with Him. The distance between us diminishes; we come close to Him because nothing in our hearts drives us apart. We agree with His wishes and base our lives on doing what He wants.
Application
Do you want to hear God speak to your heart? Fantastic! But what’s your goal? To sense the sound of His voice? To understand His words? Or to concur with His will? Each of these steps will strengthen your faith in Jesus. But don’t stop there. Press on.
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” – James 2:17
Take the final step and do what He instructs you. God will honor your faith-filled actions. And because you will have demonstrated your eagerness to obey Him, the Lord will speak to you again.
And again!
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