Do you consider yourself a good listener? Don’t look to your spouse or friend! Are you hearing things that you shouldn’t be listening to? Listening is presented not just as a courtesy but as an essential part of gaining wisdom, understanding God's word, and building healthy relationships.
James 1:19 - 'Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.' Proverbs 19:20 - 'Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.' Luke 8:18 - 'Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.'
On May 25, 2001, a remarkable man, Erik Weihenmayer, reached the summit of Mount Everest, where only 10 percent of climbers ever make it to the top. And although this may sound like a typical athlete making a name for himself, Erik suffered from a degenerative eye disease, where he lost his sight when he was 13, but that didn't stop him. Why was Erik successful in reaching the top? He listened. He listened to the voice of his teammates' instructions and advice. He listened to the sound of his pick jabbing the ice, so he would know whether the ice was safe to cross. He listened to the ropes and chains, the wind, and so many other things. Erik made the effort to effectively listen to what he needed to.
Hearing is a vastly underrated sense. Studies have shown that visual recognition requires a significant fraction of a second per event. But hearing is a quantitatively faster sense. While it might take you a full second to notice something out of the corner of your eye, turn your head toward it, recognize it, and respond to it, the same reaction to a new or sudden sound happens at least 10 times as fast. But this brings us to the point of today's message, as Christians, are we truly listening to God and His vocation? Do we take the gifts of listening seriously?
In the Old Testament, we find a prophet who faced an interesting predicament that forced him to realize he wasn’t truly listening—the first book of Kings, chapter 19. Elijah was a profound man of God, mighty in works and deeds for the Lord. We learn that Jezebel wanted him dead, and so Elijah ran for his life into the wilderness, where he said to God, "Enough! Lord, take my life for I am no better than my fathers." Misery, fatigue, pain, hunger, and being separated from God all came upon Elijah, and he was in desperate need. Exhausted, Elijah fell asleep under a broom tree, but an angel woke him and provided bread and a pitcher of water at his head and told him to eat. Remember, this is all happening out in the wilderness. Not a person around for miles. Scripture says he ate two meals like this that God provided, which shows that God had serious intent not only to save Elijah but also to prepare him for some great work. So Elijah gained his strength, but was still feeling desperately low. So then he came to a cave and spent the night there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they have sought to take my life.”
Elijah presumed he was the only person around who served God. He felt alone, saturated with despair. He was convinced, personally, that all is lost! So in verse 11, God tells him, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and powerful wind was tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.
What was Elijah expecting? When the earth shook, the wind howled, the fire raged, but God didn’t seem to be there! Does this sound familiar in your life experiences? Elijah was devastated, facing spiritual turmoil, separation from God, having been fed by God with life-sustaining food, and now experiencing an earthquake, terrible wind, and fire! God, what are you doing? You see, Elijah was expecting God to show up and fulfill his request for assistance in a powerful way. Elijah, like us today, may seem to think God will come down and sweep away the evil with mighty force, or take away our pain instantly, or force our enemies to surrender and beg for mercy! But then, something miraculous happened at the end of verse 12, and after the fire, a sound of a gentle blowing. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And God’s voice said, “What are you doing here Elijah?” God was requiring an active response from him. Because if God wasn’t in the earthquake, windstorm, and fire, where was God? He was always there, but in a way, we may not have expected! God instead reveals Himself in a quiet, peaceful whisper. This brings us to the point, my friends: when we experience God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, it's often when we are quiet and listening. Do we expect God to come in grand form, or how about a whisper in our spirit? My friends, like Elijah, this should teach us that God's presence is not always seen in massive or dramatic events; sometimes He speaks through calm and subtle ways. In order, however, to experience God, are we listening? Elijah wasn't listening! Elijah was more critical than he was listening to God! He was too busy going through things, not spending quality time with God, letting life take complete control of his thoughts, actions, and circumstances, and not allowing God to reign free! Are we truly listening to God today?
God places a strong emphasis on the importance of listening throughout the Bible. Listening is often linked with obedience, understanding, and a relationship with Him. Here are a few key ideas about what God says regarding listening:
1. Listening leads to wisdom: Proverbs 1:5 says, 'Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.' God values a heart that listens and is open to learning and growth.
2. God commands His people to listen to His voice: In Deuteronomy 6:4, known as the Shema, it says, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.' This was a call to listen not just with the ears, but with the heart and life. Listening to God was central to faithfulness.
3. Listening is better than sacrifice: In 1 Samuel 15:22, Samuel says, 'To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.' This shows that listening and obedience are more important to God than religious rituals.
4. Jesus calls for spiritual ears: Many times in the Gospels, Jesus says, 'Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.' This is a call to deeply consider His words, understand them, and act accordingly. It's about hearing truth with a heart willing to respond.
5. Listening is part of a relationship with God: In John 10:27, Jesus says, 'My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.' This illustrates the close, trusting relationship between Jesus and His followers, where they recognize and respond to His voice.
For Elijah, this whisper was a reminder that God was still with him, even in his darkest moments of despair. It also teaches believers to listen closely for God's voice, not necessarily expecting thunderous signs, but being attentive to the quiet moments where God might be working, even in the middle of life's harsh circumstances. This moment also serves to redirect and re-commission Elijah for continued prophetic work, showing that God had not abandoned him nor finished with him. When we think all hope is lost, nothing is present, no one is listening, not even God, stop! Be quiet! Open your heart and mind to God, and He will answer. Being quiet means you are intentionally stilling your heart and mind to rest in His presence. Stop striving! Stop being a busybody! Surrender and let God be God in your life by listening. Scripture tells us in Psalm 46, “Be still and know that I am God!” Amen.