I can't hear you God!

I’m halfway through Hearing God by Dallas Willard. The book was written to help followers of Jesus Christ develop a conversational relationship with God. Willard believes we were designed to live in a conversational relationship with God that includes, “speaking and being spoken to” (p.18). I love this book! This is a classic! I can’t recommend it enough. The tree used to make this book has been redeemed. I keep thinking, if only I would have stumbled upon this book while in high school.

One of the things that immediately grabbed my attention in this book was Willard’s statement, “Only our communion with God provides the appropriate context for communications between us and him” (pg 33). What is he saying here? We can’t spend a week working, watching TV, mowing the lawn, playing with the kids, talking to the spouse, eating, sleeping, and doing whatever else we might do in a week and expect to hear from God. We must consciously choose to spend time with Him (just like we do with our families). We must get alone and be with Him. Out of this being with Him we learn to hear Him and come to know His voice. This is what led the psalmists of our Bible to write such intimate and personal prayers and praises to Yahweh. They spent time with Him. They knew Him. One psalmist declares, “Yahweh, you have searched me and you know me.” (Psalm 139:1 NIV)

Have you been with Him?