Perhaps They Will Listen

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 26-29

- Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways.
- If you do not listen to me and follow my law...
- ...if you do not listen to the words of my servants...
- Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

Lord God, You are a listener. From everlasting to everlasting it seems that You take the time to listen to us. You hear and You act, the true definition of listening. In these passages above, an all to common life theme is revealed: we are invited to listen, we do not listen, but You continue to hear us.

How tiring it must get to be the Lord. Most people, given time and focus of honest reflection, hear what they are doing wrong. They can recognize the ways in which their life doesn't match up to what You call us to. I know, right at this moment, what the places of familiar struggle that are still out of line with Your truth are: my eating habits, my lack of service to the needy, my lust, and my oft-times selfish attitude of doing what is easiest for me. But am I truly listening to Your promise of peace if these situations are properly dealt with?

Well, either I am not listening or I do not believe You. Lack of trust is such a basic issue to mankind. The immediacy of our own ideas and the belief in our own hands to work things out causes such a block in our true faith. There are several areas of my life that I have never truly been able to struggle through with You to a conclusion, and the root of those areas is distrust.

Why do I distrust?

I want to listen for the answer to this question today from You. I want to be more open to Your "community of truth" words to me. Lord, this morning I desire the beginning of a change. Do not leave me listening to dead space all day. Speak, Lord, speak in truth. Speak to me, to change me this day. And continue to develop in me a listening ear.