Ever feel like God isn’t talking to you? Ever wonder why? To really understand something takes work. If we want to speak another language, we take language lessons and study it. We discipline ourselves to put in the hours to learn. Some of us are great piano players, but did we wake up one day and play jazz piano? Not likely. It took years of practice to achieve excellence. So why don’t we apply this same dedication and discipline to our relationship with God? God called Samuel three times. Samuel was just a boy, but he knew something was up. Samuel heard God’s voice because his ears were trained and open.
Why don’t we hear the Lord’s call on our lives? Is it because we take God for granted? Do we expect too much from God, thinking that He will get through to us somehow? Or, are we lazy, letting our ears fill up with the static of the world? To take our relationship with God as seriously as our relationship with our golf buddies or the ladies we catch a drink with, we must get the world’s wax out of our ears. Then when God calls us, we will hear Him.
What are some of the world’s wax that need to be cleaned out of our ears by Christ centered Q-tips? If we are involved in obvious sin, that is, sin directly prohibited by the Bible, we must repent and stop. We all know in our hearts what those sins are, too! Don’t deny or fool yourself. When our ears are clogged up with the wax of spite, hate, discord, envy, greed, lust and sleeping around…we will NOT hear God’s voice. We must use the ear wash of personal devotions every day…for centering in our lives and to help keep those sins we all know about, at bay! And, we must faithfully attend the church services. We may not always get something out of them, but we will never get anything if we don’t attend. Besides our presence in the church may feed someone else. Plus, get into a small group in your church. Only through community and friends will you be able to see yourself clearly.
Start with this treatment of Q-tips and see if your hearing doesn’t improve…it will! With our ears cleaned out, we will hear God’s voice.