“Yesterday,” Stan began, “one of my neighbors came over, and we were talking about the importance of listening.”
“That’s always an important subject,” I said.
“It is,” Stan replied. “It seems my neighbor and his wife have been thinking about taking a trip next summer. Apparently, his wife was talking to him about ideas she had. But he was distracted by something unimportant and wasn’t listening to her.”
“Sounds like trouble brewing,” I said.
“Exactly,” Stan replied. “My neighbor said his wife decided to make a point to see if he was listening.”
“How so?” I asked.
“She said, ‘Let’s book the train to Honolulu from Los Angeles.’ And as he nodded in agreement, she laughed and said, ‘I knew you weren’t listening!’ She then told him that talking to him sometimes felt like talking to a rock. Also, that going on vacation with an actual rock might be more enjoyable than going with him.”
“I bet that got his attention!”
“Big time,” Stan replied. “My neighbor said he apologized, she forgave him, and they were finally able to enjoy planning the trip. Later I was thinking about my neighbor’s story, and the Holy Spirit spoke up and said the same thing to me.”
“What same thing?” I asked.
“Talking with me sometimes is just like talking to a rock,’ Stan replied. “I don’t listen to the Holy Spirit because I’m too busy being distracted by what I want to focus on. And what I want to focus on is always, always, a whole lot less important than what the Holy Spirit has for me.”
“Well,” I responded, “if you don’t listen to the Holy Spirit, it is possible He will pack up and go on a trip without you?”
“I don’t think so,” Stan said, “but I sure don’t want to find out!”
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Bible verses to consider:
And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him.” Luke 9:35.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 1 Corinthians 2:12-13.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for allowing me to listen to you through the voice of the Holy Spirit. I confess I often fail to listen to you because I choose to do something else. Please forgive me for all my attention on things other than you. Open me to want to hear everything you have for me. Help me make you the number one priority in my life so I choose to listen to you in whatever way you speak to me. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you ever experienced trying to talk to someone who only pretended to be listening? If so, how did that make you feel? How do you think the Holy Spirit feels when we purposefully choose not to listen to Him? Is listening to the Holy Spirit a problem for you? Why or why not? If a person stops listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, do you think a time will come when the Holy Spirit stops talking to that person? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 