July 12, Listening for God

Today’s reading: Psalms 56-60

“Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered. God has spoken from his sanctuary:
‘In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter. Moab is my washbasin, on Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph’”
- Psalm 60:5-8.

David was in deep distress (again) and was crying out to God for help in today’s verses. In the midst of his seeking, God spoke to him and let David know that He, God, was in control of everything. While David was praying, God spoke, David heard what He said and wrote it down. Notice that the Lord did not speak about David’s situation, but expanded David’s vision to see more accurately and completely who God is and what He was doing in the earth. While David’s circumstances did not immediately change, his perspective of his circumstances did. Paul was in Corinth and it did not seem to be going well, and then the Lord spoke to him and changed his viewpoint:

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God (Acts 18:9-11).

Are you praying and listening? Do you expect to hear from the Lord? Are you hearing and then resting in the perspective of your life God is giving you as you pray? Lord, I realize I am talking more than listening when I pray, and I need to adjust that. I want and need to hear Your voice, and from this point, I will spend more time listening as You reveal Your will and heart to me.