Morning Devotional 051325 Listen: God is Speaking

Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

  May 13, 2025

Psalm 66:16

16 Come close and listen, all you who honor God; I will tell you what God has done for me:

Good Morning! Shout for joy to God, all the earth!

Psalm 66 is a song of praise! David is extolling God’s providence to those who would listen. 

Throughout the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, we read of calls to listen. Listening is at the heart of the Gospel message. You must first listen and then act upon the words you hear.

At some point, every prophet is compelled to say, “Listen!” John the Baptist said, “Listen!” Jesus said, “Listen!” Of course, we must not forget God’s call to listen at the transfiguration. God the Father spoke from a cloud, declaring, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

In addition to the call to listen, there is the explicit understanding that not all can or choose to hear. We often banter about the term “selective” hearing. For example, when we ask someone to do something they would rather not do, they don’t hear us, but when we ask if they want to go get ice cream, they respond immediately. 

Ezekiel 2:7 states, "But speak My words to them, whether they listen or refuse to listen, for they are rebellious." This verse encourages speaking God's word, regardless of the listener's response. Another relevant verse is Matthew 7:24, which encourages people to act on what they hear, comparing wise people who build their lives on the foundation of God's words to those who do not listen. 

Listen: God is Speaking! We will be asked to do things outside our comfort zone, such as sharing God’s love, being kind, and serving those in need. It’s easy to selectively listen to God’s call on our lives, but for those who respond, the glory of God awaits. (That’s even better than a trip to the ice cream store. LOL)

Loving Lord, Maker of all things! It is so noisy, and we choose to close our ears to escape the chaos. Help us find that space where we can hear you! Thank you. We love you, Lord! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen

Thought for the day: Clean your ears and open your heart to hear God’s words.

Listen: God is speaking to us! Pastor Liz