Loud and Clear

Silence...I've done my part by getting up early to have my quiet time and get direction for my day. I've read the instruction book for life and I desire to know what to do. I know that God talks and I've been told to stop doing all the talking and listen so I sit...waiting...for Him to say something.....Silence.

I go throughout my day, wanting to hear a Word from God. Wanting to know that He hears me and that he answers me when I call...Silence.

I get frustrated...wandering why I am committed to a God who doesn't speak to me.

Fast forward a couple of weeks.

I'm sitting in church, my Pastor talks about something I struggle with. I'm uncomfortable.

The next day, in my Women's Bible Study, the SAME issue as the day before is discusssed. I get the knawing feeling in the pit of my stomach that I need to do something about the issue. I return home and push the thought to the back of my brain.

The third morning, in my personal quiet time, I read a passage of Scripture that is dealing with yet the SAME issue I heard about on Sunday, and in my Bible study on Monday. I'm feeling pretty guilty right now. I ask for forgiveness and for God's help in dealing with the issue that has been brought before me.

I mean my prayers. I am sincere about my desire to be different. I'm convicted. But I don't change. I think that one day I'll get it together.

Today God spoke to me loud and clear:

"My child, you want me to speak to you. You want me to answer your requests. However, when I speak to you about what is important to ME, you don't respond. You hear me but you don't do anything with what I say. Yet you want me to jump when you call and spring into action."

"I am God, and I can do what I say I can do. I speak and I do answer prayer. The question is - are you only listening and looking out for my voice when you have a request on the table?"

"I speak when I want to, and when I speak, I speak LOUD AND CLEAR. I make sure you hear me b/c when I speak it is important. I say the same thing more than once, in different ways, through different people. I will give you layer upon layer of the same lesson just to make sure that you get it. Are you listening?"

"My child, listen for my voice and RESPOND. You will be pleasantly surprised that the more responsive you are when hear me, the louder and clearer I will become to you."

God speaks. The question is...do I listen.

Do you listen?...

Better yet...

Will you respond? What is going to be different THIS week as a result of your decision to act on God's Word for your life?

Consider this passage of Scripture:

I Samuel 3:2-10

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.

Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down. Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

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