Hearing God's music

"Let he who has ears to hear, use them."

Our ears, unlike our eyes, do not have lids. They are to remain open, but how easily they close. How long has it been since you let God have you? How long since you gave him a portion of undiluted, uninterrupted time listening for his voice? Apparently Jesus did. He made a deliberate effort to spend time with God. If Jesus, the Son of God, thought it worthwhile to clear his calendar day to pray, wouldn't we be wise to do the same?

If we are to be like Jesus, we must have a regular time of talking to God and listening to His Word. Sometimes we have tried but been unsuccessful. Sometimes we have a hard time concentrating. Sometimes we're too busy. So rather than spend time with God, we let others spend time with him and then benefit from their experience in devotional books.

But that approach is like surrogate spirituality. You don't do that with vacations - you don't let someone travel in your place and then come back to tell you how it was. You don't do that with romance - you don't let someone experience it all for you. Certain things we have to do by ourselves.

Listening to God is a firsthand experience. When he asks for your attention, God doesn't want you to send a substitute; he wants you.

Equipped with the right tools, we can learn to listen to God.

• A regular time and place
  Take as much time as you need. Value quality over length. Your time with God should last long enough for you to say what you want and for God to say what he wants.
• An open Bible
  Before reading the Bible, pray and ask God for a deeper understanding. Choose depth over quantity - study the Bible a little at a time.
• A listening heart

"I'm an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight.
You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too - 
Your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful - I can't take it all in!"
Psalm 139:1-6

Let God have you and love you. And don't be surprised if your heart begins to hear music you've never heard and your feet learn to dance as never before.

-'Just Like Jesus' by Max Lucado