Daily Devotional: A conversation

"Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David." — Isaiah 55:3 NRSVUE

There have been moments in my life that a loud, almost audible, “No!” from God would have suited me just fine. Just to hear God speak would bring comfort, even if God denied my request.

In trying to hear the voice of God, I have tried emptying my mind of everything so I could hear. That never worked. Ever.

So, I began to wonder how I could hear God more clearly. I thought to myself, “How do I hear my friends?” It was through this question I realized I hear my friends by engaging them in conversation. And keen listening is part of a conversation.

We begin with stillness, not emptiness. We need to quiet all the little noises that distract. And then move from this stillness to being open. In this openness, we press Him with appropriate questions from Scripture reading and daily experiences.

If you are having trouble discerning the voice of God right now, try having Just a Little Talk with Jesus, as the old Gospel song rings out (Cleavant Derricks),

let us tell Him all about our troubles;

He will hear our faintest cry

And He will answer by and by.

Have faith. It all comes right.

Rev. Dr. Michael Sanders has written books of devotions, available at Ken’s Village Market in Indian River and Brewed Awakenings in Saline.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Daily Devotional: A conversation