Listening

My son, I want you to write a book so that you can share with people the lessons I have taught you about listening to my voice and the practice of conversational prayer.

Praying

Lord, I have never done anything like this before. My writing style is fairly formal and scientific - and I think that I speak better than I write.

Listening

It is now time to take a step further and put into print the things I have been teaching you so that they can be shared with a wider group of my people. I will guide you - even word by word. Remember how in March 1999, I brought you back to life from what by human standards should have been certain death or permanent disability. I have restored you to full intellectual health, and more than that, have used this experience to grow your spirituality - enabling you to do more things in my kingdom, both on earth and beyond.

Praying

Yes, Lord, and I thank you for this growing insight and awareness. Perhaps there is also a new quality of wisdom but that is entirely dependent on closeness to you where I can commit each day to you in worship and adoration. Everything we have in physical things, but especially in awareness of your incredible love, is an act of grace on your part. We don't deserve the amazing love and grace that you shower on us, Lord. So I love you and worship you again this morning.

Listening

My son, let this time today become the first page of a log of our conversation together.

Praying

Done, Lord.

Listening

Now I want you to begin by systematically reading and thinking about people in the Bible of whom it is written, "they walked with God" or "they talked with God". This will help you to identify some basic principles about conversation with me. Concentrate on the way these people and their actions inspire and lift your thoughts towards me.

Thinking

What is going on here? Is this just literary style? Perhaps, but I have merely recorded on paper a deep urge to explore and support by prayer and worship the concept of walking and talking with God. The words are my own but they are the outward symbols that only emerged after prayer and meditation. Writing them down freed my mind to expand.

Listening

This is not to be a theological analysis or discussion of myth versus fact. Rather, I want you to talk with me about these people so that I can show you truths that apply to you today. In hindsight, you will find the principles to be so obvious that a child can understand them. Remember my word also, that you need to come to me like a small child (Luke 18: 17.). Only as you do this will you really understand why I have chosen the word "Father" to describe the kind of relationship that I want to have with you.

Thinking

The lesson here now seems obvious. I am very comfortable with the idea that the first steps in language are learned from a parent as children recognise the voice of their mother and father. It follows that if I am really going to learn how to converse with God, I must begin by learning to hear his voice. I need to put into practice the reality that God wants me to call him Father.

Listening

My son, there have been many times that I have been shouting at you and you didn't hear me.

Praying

I know, Father. I have come to understand this too, and I bow before you just now to say sorry. Please forgive me, Father. I want to be very sincere in listening to your word as it comes to me in different ways. I am humbled that you are giving me this gift of discerning your voice. At this time, I don't yet understand whether it can be learned or whether this gift is totally at your discretion.

Listening

I do forgive you, my son. Remember now that when I forgive, I also forget.

Praying

Thank you, Father God. I love you, worship you, and praise you this morning that I can hear your voice.

Thinking

It seems useful to spell out my understanding of the different ways people hear the voice of God. It is then a moot point as to whether this is just me setting out my own understanding, or whether I should set this out as words guided by God. For some people the voice of God is sudden and audible. For others, it comes gradually like it did with me. Still others sense the voice of God to them in the written word - with a progressive and increasing awareness.

It is interesting to think about the way this paragraph has developed, and is developing. As I started typing it, I had no idea where it was going to finish. Listening to the voice of God is a bit like this because we must not prejudge what is going to be said. This book will be about an awareness of the voice of God speaking to me. I want to share it you, so that reading about my experience of God will enable you to grow - sometimes in the same way, but often in other ways. Our God has a deep love for each one of us and invites us to have a conversational relationship with him. This is not forced on us, but it's ours if we make the effort to listen.

Listening

That's enough for today. Now I want you to meditate on these things, and start reading in my word about people who talked with me. As you do this, you will find many scriptures that support and complement the words I have given you today.

Praying

Thank you, Lord. Just now I want to bow in silence, and worship you - and love you. You are amazing, and closer to me that I ever realised.

Copyright Howard Smith 2002. All Rights reserved.

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