DAY TEN
Every ten days during SENT, we will pause to take some time to listen.
Luke 5:16 says…
“…Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”
We know that Jesus’ life was full, especially in the last three years of His life. Wherever He went noise and crowds followed Him. People wanted to talk. They wanted His time. They wanted His touch. To the commotion, He often slipped away from His daily routines to be alone, to be in the wilderness.
We know that he prayed in His time alone, but perhaps He was also recalibrating His ear to hear the Father’s voice. Listening and recalibration make sense, when we realize that Jesus was constantly listening to His Father, and the Father was constantly speaking. We may not know the full gamut of the conversation, but we know this: Jesus conversed with God regularly to get instructions on what He was to do and say next. In fact, He said and did absolutely nothing unless He heard from the Father or saw the Father at work.
How do we know this? We know this because He unequivocally states His dependence on the Father three different times.
In John 5:19, Jesus says...
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing."
He only did what He saw the Father doing.
Then, in John 5:30, Jesus says again...
"I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."
He only did what He heard the from the Father.
Finally, in John 8:28, Jesus says…
"I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me."
He only did what the Father taught Him in ongoing dialogue.
One of the most powerful exercises during SENT will be listening to see what the Father has to say to us. Remember, when He instructs us to do something, we can go and do it with all the authority of the kingdom of God. In addition, getting instructions from the Father aligns us with where He is already at work. If He is doing something, it will have His power behind it. Finally, we can be certain that if God speaks it, it is already done. God spoke the world into existence, and He continues to bring heaven to earth through what He speaks to His children. Let’s listen.
Your assignment today is simple. Take your journal with you, find a quiet place, and spend 30 minutes listening to what God might have to say to you. Do this with expectation because God loves to speak to His children.
During your listening time, God might take you to certain places in the Bible. He might give you visions or dreams. He might show you signs. Be on the alert to anything He might bring to you. Also, whatever you think might be God’s voice or vision, write it down. Don’t worry whether you know for sure if it is God. God can confirm it later, and He will. If God leads you to certain verses in the Bible, write those out in full. Also, write down anything You will want to look back when we are done.
Remember, this is just the beginning. You will have three more chances to do this in coming days. Don’t worry, there is no right or wrong way to do this. The most important part of listening is simply giving God space to speak to you.