Spiritual Strength For Each Day
“Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me” (Psalm 81:8).
God’s twofold demand to Israel at that time and to us today is first to “Hear!” and then to “hearken.” Why does the Lord say this twice? Parents often experience that children of a certain age have difficulty in listening to them because the children think they know everything better in any case. Somehow, this is also the case in a child of God’s relationship to his or her heavenly Father. When the Lord says, “Hear” and “if thou wilt hearken unto me,” He is not yet speaking of obedience, but of listening to Him. If we would learn to listen more, the fullness of God could break through in us to a much greater extent. Becoming inwardly still and listening is extremely important. Then we experience what we cannot achieve through effort or activity. In Isaiah 55:2-3 it says, “Wherefore do ye…labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live.” If the Lord emphasizes this, it must be of great importance to listen. How long have you listened to Him today?
