Creating Quiet Space enables you to Hear

Quiet Space enables you to Hear.  Colossians 4.2

It usually takes some ‘quiet’ to hear …                                                          I have found that creating order in my prayer time is a way of making my prayers more complete.  From the prayer our Lord gave us, we can make an acronym; while there are several, I should like to offer you mine. A.C.A.T., from a message I delivered to a high school group about 12 years ago entitled, "How to skin A CAT"-- a message on prayer.

A is for Adoration - take a moment to start your prayer by giving God his 'due'; praise him for who he is.

C is for Confession - search yourself, and ask God to show you anything you need to confess and turn away from

A is for Asking - for your needs, and for the needs of others

T is for thanking God for his good gifts to you--for your health, God's Word, Heaven, your spouse, your children, your job, sunshine, hope, grace, forgiveness, mercy, new days. . . you get the idea.

When I am able, I like to write my prayers in a small, lined notebook, using A.C.A.T. to stay focused.  Then I am present with my pen, and my mind is not apt to wander. The notebook also serves as a record of God's unending faithfulness in my life. Figure what works for you.  .  . it is worth it.

A few years ago, I added another letter to my model – “L” for Listening. Do you think God still speaks?  Have you heard his voice?  If you did, would you know it was God?

I love what the boy Samuel said to God, when he thought he heard his voice - "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3.8-9)   If God was indeed speaking, he wanted to hear him . . . me, too!  I didn't grow up understanding that God speaks to his children today, but instead that I would only find his voice in the pages of Scripture.  And yet, inside myself, it only made sense that God had not stopped communicating his thoughts once the Bible was complete.  To be sure, the 'permanent address at which the word of God may be found is the Bible,' but since the canon of Scripture was closed almost 2000 years ago, does that mean he has nothing to say to us in the 21st century? I think not.

Do you desire to hear God's voice?  I would think you do if you are desirous of a meaningful relationship with him.  In the scriptures, we find God spoke to those who were seeking after him—Moses, Noah, Mary, Esther, Isaiah, Saul (Paul), Ezekiel and others. 'The ideal for hearing from God is finally determined by who God is, what kind of beings we are and what a personal relationship between ourselves and God should be like.'¹   

How does God speak?

~in a still, small voice

~through Scripture

~through other believers - including messages from the pulpit

~visions - when awake

~dreams - when asleep

~circumstances - opened or closed doors; serendipitous meetings

~a "knowing" in our innermost being

When God speaks, he expresses his mind, his character, and his purposes--and his leading will always be consistent with Scripture.  He will not shout at us though, in order to get a word in . . . "we need to give much time to communicate with the Holy Spirit.  He will not speak to anyone who is in a hurry.²  God is a gentleman and will not break the door down to get our attention, so we do well to obey--

"Be still, and know that I am God."³

Ah, therein lies the 'catch' for most of us . . . it takes discipline to be still, and to quiet our minds.  Create some 'quiet' in your prayer time for the Lord to speak.  Make a decision to ‘be still’ throughout your day -- turn the radio off in your car . . . go for a walk outside with no i-pod or headphones.

Create some quiet in your day, and 'be still, and know that he is God.'

Shhh …

Christine   

1) Dallas Willard, Hearing God - ** a phenomenal book; 2) David Wilkerson; 3) Psalm 46.10