Praise to You, O King of Knowledge, for You know all things and my desire is to learn from You the things that will make my life meaningful and productive. When You speak, I want to be able to hear what You have to say because Your words are more valuable than gold. Like Your servant Samuel, I want to hear Your call and be able to respond “speak for your servant is listening.” I know that hearing and doing are vital ingredients to a meaningful relationship with You. Hearing Your voice is sometimes difficult when I become distracted or I don’t take the time to get quiet so I can hear You better. If I do not try to listen or I let sin or the world get in the way of Your desire to communicate with me, it is I who suffers the most. I need to begin making time for You through reading and meditating on Your words, prayer and devotions to You because You speak to those who are faithful followers.
I sometimes find myself asking the same question that Peter once asked “To whom shall I go, Lord? You are the one who possesses the words of life.” I need for Your words of encouragement and guidance. I sense that You save Your deepest revelations for those who learn to love and obey You. Your words are vital to me because they are spirit and life. For as I receive Your words, they reveal truth and that truth remains in the reservoirs of my heart and mind so that when a need presents itself, in the future, I can call it up and put it to use. Please do not let me forget that You speak through others too … pastors, priests, teachers, elders and those who know You intimately. I know that as a result of belonging to You, I will come to recognize Your voice and discern Your message by it’s clear and loving tone. I no longer want to think that the challenging questions and insightful thoughts that go through my mind belong to me but see them as Your revelations to me.
Like the Centurion, I want to be humble and moved by faith to seek the advice, counsel and the help I need. My heart echoes similar words as I say … “Lord, I do not deserve Your personal attention, just speak the words I will be shown the way to go.” When I allow barriers (like pride, unbelief, selfishness and sin) to take the spot of preeminence in my life, they create obstacles which block my ability to hear You speak. Our communication is impeded when I’m not in a frame of mind to hear what You have to say or I lack the faith to believe what You are telling me is true. I believe that hearing what You say and doing what You ask is the best way I can show how much I love and respect You. If I cling to You, then Your words will remain with me and I’ll be able to ask what I will in faith and it will be done for me. I want You to know that I covet Your words for they are words of life and I need them to be victorious. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Psalm 119:130 The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.