This is My beloved Son. Hear Him! (Matthew 9:7 NKJV)

Imagine that you are sitting in a stadium filled with people. A cacophony of sound envelopes you. The noise grows louder as the people cheer before returning to a low roar.

Someone you know is sitting on the other side of the stadium. He shouts your name, jumps up and down, and waves. But you don’t see or hear him. His voice and actions are swallowed up in the surrounding chaos.

The world can be like that – so loud and distracting that you can’t hear what Jesus is saying to you. He has things He wants to tell you and show you. Don’t doubt that for a minute. But can you hear Him?

God has already told us to listen to His Son, Jesus. He said, “Hear Him!” There can be no clearer direction. So, the question is: Are you doing that?

It’s easy to get sidetracked. Work. Kids. Errands. Commitments. Chores. At the end of the day, you’re tired. Sometimes the only thing you want to do is relax and turn on the TV. But many movies and TV shows contain subtle messages that don’t align with God’s Word. And they will draw you further away from (and not closer to) Jesus.

The bottom line is that you won’t be able to hear Jesus on the other side of the stadium. You need to get up and go sit beside Him. Of course, that’s just a metaphor. You don’t have to change your physical location. But you do need to shift your focus so it’s on Him.

The Bible says if you draw near to God, He’ll draw near to you (James 4:8). To do that,

• Silence your phone. Make a quiet space to meet with Him.
• Pray and ask God to help you to keep your focus on Him.
• Open your Bible and start reading.
• Slow down and take in God’s Word. Think about it and ask God how it applies to you.
• Listen as Jesus speaks to you. Write down what you hear.

Take time this week to hear Jesus. Carve out time to spend with Him. Meet Him in a quiet space. Then, listen to His voice as you walk by faith with Him.

Photo by Anna Sullivan on Unsplash