We serve a God who is consistent in listening to our every need, spoken and unspoken. When it is the middle of the night and you need someone to talk to, chances are you may find someone who is willing to stay up and talk, but eventually they will become tired and go to sleep. Our God is available for his children. God is also Omniscient, All Knowing. He knows what we need before we can even ask. He listens to our hearts, prayers and desires. Not only is he all knowing, but he is consistent. He listens to us, but do we always listen to him?
I grew up in the urban area of Los Angeles, surrounded by violence, drugs and all kinds of bad influences. I went to school in Compton, elementary through High School, but throughout my journey I’ve had many challenges that left me no other choice, but to listen to God.
One day I was over a friend’s very late, but it seemed okay to stay late because my mom knew where I was and the train station to get home was just 1 mile away. My friend lived in a very dangerous part of town, but at the time I didn’t know. After a few games of basketball, my friend and I walked to the train station and we heard someone yell from across the street, and I knew from the tone in the guy’s voice, that he was up to no good, so I started praying that God would protect us. As we walked faster, the sound grew closer until we realized that there were 5 guys surrounding us. They asked us what gang we were from and that this side of town was their territory. I tried to explain to the leader that we were not affiliated with any gang and that I was just trying to go home. My friend on the other hand thought it would be wise to make a smart comment. The guys then pulled guns and pointed them at us; at that moment I knew that I only had one option and that my only option was to trust God in this moment. A voice told me to tell the guys that I was the drum major at the local school and suddenly one of the guys recognized me from a band performance he had seen and he had his guys drop their guns and told them I was not apart of a gang. We were unharmed. I believe that voice I heard was God. After that moment I realized that had I not listened to the voice of God, my friend and I might have died that night. God is good and if we listen to him, he will consistently fight our battles.
I’d like to use Noah as an example. Genesis 6:11-17 says, “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it’.”
Then verse 22 says, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him”.
What I love about reading this story is that Noah didn’t question God and his will for the land. I think sometimes we don’t really trust God like we should. But I think he gives us every reason to trust him because remember, he is consistent and in control.
The question that always comes up is, does God still speak to people?
Yes he does, you just have to listen for him and trust him.
“Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” Proverbs 16: 20
Here is an example of a man who listened to God!
