Listen

Often times, when we draw near to God, we want to talk to Him about what is important to us.  We want to share our agenda.  The problem with that approach is that we forget to take time to listen.

The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. (Exodus 3:7 NIV)

God cares about many things in the world.  When we take the time to listen, we may be surprised.  Sometimes God wants to talk to us about something completely different from our worries or agenda.  Sometimes God wants to talk to us about what concerns Him.

So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey--the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. (Exodus 3:8 NIV)

Moses may have wanted to talk to God about his marriage, his children, his job, or his father in law.  God, however, wanted to talk to Moses about the millions of Israelites who were still in slavery in Egypt.  Moses was about to be God’s instrument to change the world.  But first, he would need to listen.

And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. (Exodus 3:9 NIV)

How about you?  Do you draw near to God?  When you draw near to God, do you start off talking about all the things that are important to you?  After that, do you take the time to listen?  Does God want you to be His instrument to change the world?