Speak, Lord

“To obey is better than sacrifice.” These words spoken by Samuel, the prophet and last judge of the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, are sometimes hard to swallow. Because, quite often, obedience is a sacrifice in itself.

This post may be too long for email. If so, be sure to choose the option to “View entire message” (or something similar) at the end of this message to read it in its entirety.

Excerpted from my Raymond Waites Morning Pages journal on January 30, 2017

I’ve just finished reading today’s devotional in My Utmost for His Highest entitled “The Dilemma of Obedience,” and I just had to write about some insights I’ve gleaned.

First off, today’s devotional is about hearing God. Some of the key passages are:

Get into the habit of saying “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance.

Chastening is more than a means of discipline; it is meant to get me to the place of saying, “Speak, Lord.”

As we listen, our ear gets accute, and, like Jesus, we shall hear God all the time.

God never speaks to us in startling ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand.

There are more great passages as well, mainly dealing with the story of Samuel and Eli and how Samuel heard God’s call. After reading this, as well as the account of Samuel and Eli, and referencing some of the topics in my Thompson Chain-Reference Bible—Hearing, Spiritual Receptivity and Perception, and a few others—I began to get an insight of my own.1

Sign Up for Fiction Updates

The Scripture that came immediately to mind was “The Love Chapter” of the Bible: 1 Corinthians 13. I began to recall the various aspects and characteristics of Love.

Love (or Charity, KJV):

• Suffereth long

• Is kind

• Envieth not

• Vaunteth not itself

• Is not puffed up

• Doth not behave itself unseemly

• Seeketh not her own

• Is not easily provoked

• Thinketh no evil

• Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but in truth

• Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things

• Never faileth

As I considered these points, I realized, knowing that God Himself is Love/Charity, that to hear from God, I must take on/assume these same qualities in my own life.

I cannot expect to hear God’s voice clearly if I myself am “puffed up,” envious, or impatient. Similarly, how can I expect to hear from God if I am constantly searching for my own desires or well-being? What is my mindset? Am I thinking upon the pure things of God (Phil. 4:8)? Or is my mind too concerned with the cares and ambitions of this life?

Knowing that God Himself is Love/Charity, in order to hear from God, I must take on/assume the [qualities of such] in my own life.

If I am to hear from God properly, then I must lay aside every weight and the sin that doeth so easily beset me, and allow perfect love to cast out fear—which hath torment—and reign supreme. I must come down to God’s level and forfeit any pride that has lifted me above Him.

Mortify the flesh. Walk in the Spirit to hear the words of the Spirit. No matter the cost, God must be —and must remain—my all in all. It does not matter what others think or will most certainly say. Allow God to either change their minds or stop their mouths. Your concern is to get on with hearing, following, and obeying Him.

I must come down to God’s level and forfeit any pride that has lifted me above Him.

He wants to elevate you higher than you can elevate yourself so that you may pursue and achieve His goals for you. The mountain top can be your footstool if you allow God to lift you there.

It does not matter what others think or will most certainly say. Allow God to either change their minds or stop their mouths. Your concern is to get on with hearing, following, and obeying Him.

You have a choice. It is your choice to make, not your wife’s, not your church’s, not your family’s, and most definitely not Satan’s, but yours and yours alone. You must bear this cross and its weight. However, the weight of the cross is nothing compared to the weight of regret and disobedience!

“Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth! Amen!”

The mountain top can be your footstool if you allow God to lift you there.

Get this book

Get this book

Get this book

These and many other books and resources can be accessed via my official Writing Resources page by clicking the button below.

Browse Eric’s Writing Recommendations

Disclaimer: Some of the links on the page may be affiliate links. These links allow me a small commission on every sale at no extra cost to you. So if you'd like to show your support for my work, feel free to use the links on this page.