I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
for he speaks peace to his faithful people. – Psalm 85:8a

I wonder if God is speaking to me. I wonder if that is His voice. Have you ever had a similar experience or time when you wondered if you were hearing from God? Do we miss out on opportunities to hear God because we do not step out of our busy schedules to sit still and listen?

Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance. Every time circumstances press in on you, say “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than means of discipline – it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? … As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, January 30th).

Those words resonate with my heart’s desire to be close to God. Many times in my life I have been challenged to think of my relationship with God as any other relationship in my life. In order to draw closer to someone, we must spend time with them and communicate with them, both listening and speaking. This makes sense but the intimacy we have with God is so much deeper than any other relationship. I love how Oswald Chambers describes the life of listening to God as a romance. The more we listen, the more we will hear from God; the more we hear from God, the more sensitive we become to His voice and the more easily we recognize Him.

Last night at youth group, Charlotte More played a song while each of us took time to write in our journals. She urged us to listen for God this week. While we had this special time of entering into God’s presence, she played one of my favorite songs – The More I Seek You, written by Zach Neese and sang by Kari Jobe. The melody is in my head still this morning and the song is in my heart, desiring to recline on my Savior and hear His heartbeat.

The more I seek you, the more I find you.
The more I find you, the more I love you.

The more I seek you, the more I find you.
The more I find you, the more I love you.

Thank you, Lord, for loving me enough to draw me closer to You. I thank you for the experience of resting in Your presence and simply drinking from the cup of Your hand. Teach me to recline and trust You at all times, finding my hope in only You.

I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken…

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge. – Psalm 62:1-2,5-8

And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” – 1 Samuel 3:10

Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care.
If only you would listen to his voice today! – Psalm 95:6-7