Are you listening?

(photo credit: therecordingrevolution.com)

"When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear.  And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!” “Don’t be afraid,” Moses answered them, “for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!” As the people stood in the distance, Moses approached the dark cloud where God was." (Exodus 20:18-21, New Living Translation)

If you were to read this passage in its context, you would find the giving of the 10 commandments in the verses preceding. What I want you to notice this morning is the preference of the people to hear from God through Moses, rather than directly.

Oswald Chambers writes, "We show how little love we have for God by preferring to listen to His servants rather than to Him. We like to listen to personal testimonies, but we don’t want God Himself to speak to us. Why are we so terrified for God to speak to us? It is because we know that when God speaks we must either do what He asks or tell Him we will not obey. But if it is simply one of God’s servants speaking to us, we feel obedience is optional, not imperative. We respond by saying, 'Well, that’s only your own idea, even though I don’t deny that what you said is probably God's truth.'" (My Utmost for His Highest)

I love sharing with you each morning what God has said to me, but my voice (in print) is never a substitute for God's (neither is anyone else's, by the way). My prayer is that my words might provide a little kindling for you to start the fire of your own conversation with God.

Question: What is God saying to YOU this morning?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.