VERSE:
“Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what He spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord…’”
— 2 Chronicles 34:27

THOUGHT:
In 2 Chronicles 34, King Josiah realized that his nation had turned away from God, so he set his heart to bring reform. When he found the Book of the Law (the Word of God) and read it, he tore his clothes because he realized just how far his nation had fallen away. He wanted to make things right, but he needed direction. He needed to hear from God.

When he inquired of God about what he should do, God didn’t say “of course… just ask about anything and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know any time”. Rather, God said “because your heart was responsive… I have heard you”. In other words, “because you have already responded to what I previously revealed to you, I will reveal to you more”.

My point is that many people claim to have the desire of being receptive to the voice of God, without the will to be responsive to His voice. In other words, they want to hear what God has to say without having to do what God has already told them to do. You don’t ignore what God has clearly said about one thing and expect to hear from God about something else. God’s voice requires a responsive heart.

APPLICATION:
Before seeking the direction of the Lord for something particular, take inventory of your life to see if you have already responded to what God has previously revealed. Is there anything that God has shown you through the bible, or through the conviction of the Holy Spirit that you have ignored? When God speaks, humble yourself with a responsive heart, and then confidently approach Him for guidance in every other area of your life.

PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I don’t want to deceive myself. I don’t want to be the guy who looks into the mirror of your word and sees the things I need to fix, just to walk away and ignore them as if they aren’t there. I want to respond to your voice, so that I can hear your voice more clearly and more often. In Jesus’ Name, I will respond to your voice! In Jesus’ Name, I will humble myself. AMEN!