Ehh! What’d you say? Speak up! 
What do you naturally do when you can’t hear someone?
We’ve all been in situations where you can’t effectively hear what someone is saying. It could be for a lot of reasons. Too much noise around you. The person has a speech impediment. Or…the unthinkable…YOUR hearing is going! Yeah…sorry!
All of us have our hearing attuned to something – usually something or someone that is VERY important to us. We could hear it in the other room, and know what is going on.
When my youngest was born, I had him convinced that I LITERALLY had eyes in the back of my head. He even went looking in my hair for that extra set of eyes one time because my ability as a mother to KNOW what he was doing or going to do was uncanny. He thought this until he was about 8 yo. Then he figured out that I really don’t have eyes back there but he still didn’t understand how I just KNEW! Well, he’ll never be a mother.
I’ve told a lot of mothers over the years who were pregnant and worried about being a mother that God works in the heart of every potential mother to prepare them for 
motherhood. He even grows something I call, “mother ears”. You HEAR every little squeak and cry of your child and even understand all those squeaks without words. Why? Because our ears are trained to ANTICIPATE!
There are so many things in our culture that is vying for our attention. Wanting for us to look at, listen to, get hooked on. This is why I don’t like cities – too much noise.
So in Joshua 24:23 – Joshua is dying and giving his last message to his people. A man’s dying declaration is always the most important words one has to say. He challenges them to “choose today whom you will serve. If God, then put away all the other gods. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” – 24:15.
Then he challenges them to live a life “bent over” in 24:23 –
Now therefore, put away the foreign gods which are in your midst and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.
To “incline” is to tilt or bend. He is challenging the people to live a life so focused on the Lord, so focused on hearing His Words, so focused on ANTICIPATING His presence, that we are almost straining to hear and know everything that God has to say and to teach us. Are you like that? Or are you easily distracted by the world?
I’ll be honest! I struggle. I feel like that dog on the awesome movie “Up” who was easily distracted with every “Squirrel” that came along!
Our time with the Lord looks more like –
Heavenly Father (squirrel), thank You for this (squirrel) day. Thank You (squirrel) for what You (squirrel) have done. Praise You (squirrel) for who You are! Help me (squirrel) to (squirrel, squirrel, squirrel)………Oh yes, where was I Lord?
Well, maybe that was a slight exaggeration! And maybe not!
God wants us to develop ears to hear –
Isaiah 30:21 – Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left”.
Ezekiel 3:4 – Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely.
Developing ears to hear is not easy. It takes intentional effort and diligence to keep coming back to Him. Spending time with Him daily in the morning (or whatever time of day works for you) to focus yourself on Him. No matter how many “squirrels” we see in a day. The Holy Spirit is always present to help, guide, strengthen when squirrels take our time away from Him. He doesn’t condemn us but He is present to HELP us.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can develop ears to hear Him even in the loudest crowd. God desires this in us.
My goal? – A life bent towards Him. How about you?
Father forgive me for allowing all these squirrels of life to steal my time with You. I have allowed my guilt at my own ineffectiveness to permeate my time and keep me away from You. I thank You that You are ever-present to help me. I cry out to You for Your help. I need You. I confess that I can’t live the life You want without You and Your help. But I am thankful You never ask anything of me that You don’t give me Your help and strength to do. Amen.
#squirrel #timewithGod #earstohear
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