Listen Up for Safety!

Proverbs 1:28-33

Verse 33  “…but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

    A public service ad used to advise, “Buckle up for safety.  Buckle up.”  We continue talking about the art of listening and today we focus on the fact that there are consequences for not listening to God.

    We like to think that listening to God is an option in the spiritual life.  At least we act as if that is what we believe.  If we are a Christian, listening is not optional.  In fact to not listen, or ignore even when we do hear, is to disobey.  Disobedience is often thought of as an option, which of course it is not.  To live like these two things are options actually reveals just how unattached we are from the Vine.

    If listening to God is not an option, then obedience isn’t either.  To be clear this is not talking about a moment of disobedience, while that still displeases God, we are talking about a lifestyle of disobedience.  If we are living a life of constant disobedience we can be sure that God isn’t going to let it continue forever.  He will prove we are not abiding in the vine and will prune us away and throw us out.  But it doesn’t have to be that way.

    We see in the first verse of our Bible passage today that there comes a point when God isn’t listening to us calling out to Him.  God is a forgiving God, but He is also a pure God and so He doesn’t stand for sin running free and rampant.  A repentant heart is what God desires and listens to.  He loves to hear His children repenting as it shows Him that we see the truth about ourselves.  That is where we step out of His will by thinking that we have options about listening or obeying.  Listening is an important part of any conversation or relationship.

    The truth is that unless we realize just how important listening to God is, we will miss what it truly means to be His.  In fact, if we refuse to listen to Him, what it says about us is that we don’t view Him as the Lord of our life.  And if He isn’t Lord of our life then we have no business being on the vine.  But if we do listen and He is the Lord of our life, our life will be lived in obedience.  That is when we flourish in the Vine.

Making It Personal

    What do you find hardest about listening to God?  What does that say about you and your view of God?  What are you going to obey that He wants you to do today?

Making It Personal Kids

    Is listening hard?  Why is it hard to listen sometimes?  Do you want God to listen to you?

Closing Prayer

    Father, thank You for speaking to us.  We want to have You as our Lord, so please help us learn to listen and obey all that You want us to do.  In Jesus’ name, amen.