TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them. (Hosea 14:9 NKJV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• Since 2020, I’ve been reading a commentary in tandem with reading my Bible. It doesn’t replace Scripture but helps me better understand the culture and customs; it cross-references to other parts of the Bible; and it provides other beneficial information as I study.
This week, I was reading in Hosea and my commentary broke down the speaker between chapters 11-14 because the text goes back and forth between the Lord and Hosea taking turns speaking. As I noted my Bible, two things hit me:
- These final chapters of Hosea start and end with God speaking. He will always have the first and last words in our lives.
- The Lord spoke way more than Hosea did in these chapters, reminding me that I need to speak less and listen to God more.
It wasn’t that I didn’t already know these two truths, but it was a needed reminder. Given that most people listen with the intent to respond (and I can be — and often am — just as guilty of that!), it was a humbling moment….
As I’ve reflected on this over the last couple of days, I’ve wondered… what would our lives look like if we lived this way? If we let God have the first and final say in our day-to-day lives? How many problems (many of our own making) could we avoid if we listened to Him more than we tried to express our opinions?
It really comes down to our decision to make God the priority in our lives… get beyond the lip service, but truly let Him have access to the thrones of our hearts.
It’s often easier said than done because we are constantly waging war with our flesh and sinful natures. I doubt many of us could truly say they do this perfectly all the time. But God, He is so patient and merciful to us. He gives grace and then more grace…
Today, as you pray, thank God for His authority and having the one Voice we can listen to / follow without fear. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you listen more and surrender Your wants to His will.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the NKJV translation.
