Hearing from God

I think we all know deep down that it isn’t that God doesn’t “speak” to us but that we aren’t listening that is the problem. We talked in SBC Kids this week about hearing from God. How that “hearing” can come through the Bible, through church teaching/sermons, through prayer and through other people’s voices in our lives.

So a question for YOU; when did you last hear from God?

I can’t speak for anyone else but when I hear from God it comes as ideas, images or just thoughts. Sometimes it is simply thinking of a person I know, which prompts me to ask God why? Sometimes He gives me some insight when I stop to think about that person, sometimes not. I guess it is on a “need to know” basis. Sometimes it requires me to simply pray for them, sometimes I get the idea I need to meet and talk with them, and sometimes an action/something I could do pops into my head.

Sometimes it is ideas or images that interpret some truth from God. I really value these as they can help me express these truths to others after I have thought through how to understand and apply them to myself.

And sometimes it is just inspiration of how to tackle a problem or approach a task that confronts me.

My basic premise for kids (and everyone else) is that if God puts someone on your mind or in your path, or brings a situation to your attention, He wants YOU to do something about that. You may need to ask God “What?” if it isn’t immediately obvious, and even then you may still have to go with what you think is best.

I think of God talking with me or me hearing from God very much like talking with my kids. There are times when I give them a complete picture and there are times I want them to tease out the answers so they can develop and grow in their understanding and maturity. God always seeks for us to continue growing to maturity so embrace those times of having to work at understanding exactly what God is saying to you, because that is when you are growing.

The other important thought I have for you is that your kids hear from God as well. You don’t have to be a certain age, maturity, be baptised or know a certain number of Bible verses for God to speak to you. The key issue for our kids is helping them recognise when God is speaking. Just like Samuel our kids need an Eli to let them know when it might be God speaking and how to respond (1 Samuel 3:1-10). To do this YOU need to know what it is like to hear from God YOURSELF.

So back to my question; when did you last hear from God?

If that question is a bit tricky to answer then I advise you to start listening and seeking God’s voice. Look and listen in the Bible, in church and when talking with friends. Take some time in prayer and ask God to speak because you are listening and I guarantee He will speak, or rather you will hear!

Then you can help your kids understand how God speaks and how they can hear from their heavenly Father who longs to talk to them.