Nougat 21

We’re encouraged by Paul to pray without ceasing. Elsewhere, we’re told that prayer is a conversation, not a monologue. As we meditate on Today’s Holy Nougat, I pray that we yearn for ongoing conversations with God.

Jeremiah 33:1 NLT

[1] While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the Lord gave him this second message:

Hearing from God

Prophesy is not extended prayer. Nevertheless, I believe that we must have an established relationship with God if we’re supposed to prophesy. It doesn’t always mean that we’re praying in the strictest sense of the word. But we note that in the time of the prophets, it was natural for them to have conversations with God. Moses spoke with God at the Burning Bush, Isaiah conversed with God in the temple, and Jonah even argued with God under a broom tree. Our Nougat tells us that God spoke to Jeremiah while he was detained.

Self-Check

Does God speak to people like me, and if yes, where?

Is God seeking our attention at this time, and are we listening?

Application

Siblings, Isaiah 6 affirms that God desires open, willing vessels to speak on God’s behalf. Jeremiah 1 assures us that God’s plans for us include representation at various levels. The representation requires that we are open to hearing from God. Paul summarizes in Romans 10, ‘How does one believe in the One of Whom they haven’t heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can someone preach unless they are sent…’ If it is God Who sends us, then we must be able to recognize God’s voice.

Jeremiah was so attuned to God that he was hearing from God while on trial. We also must be able to hear God speaking to us in good, bad, tense, and powerful situations. If it is our tendency to seek God’s face only when we’re under attack, there is room for improvement. If we find our trust wavering when we’re under attack, that’s normal, but let us rise above that temptation and be open.

God has a word for us. An individual and personalised word to match the situation we’re in. A word that may come directly and get confirmed by God’s messenger. We must make the time to listen.

God has a word for the world. We could be the ones through whom God chooses to speak. If so, we need to be in full listening mode. That requires relationship. Consistency in reading the Word and prayer is also helpful for our ability to discern that it is God Who speaks.

Have we already committed to making time to hear from God? If not, let’s not waste time. We can prepare ourselves to hear directly from God by spending time in prayer and reflection on God’s Word.

Assignment

– Let’s make time today to hear from God intentionally.

– If there’s a particular request, we can write it out and pray over it. Then, when it’s fulfilled, we might bear witness that God’s still speaking.

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May all we seek be found in Christ