My sheep listen to my voice. John 10:27
I went to see the movie, Prince Caspian, the second in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. Early in the movie, Lucy sees Aslan, the character who represents Jesus, in the distance but the others don’t. When they ask her why they didn’t see him, Lucy gives two answers. “Maybe you weren’t looking for him,” and later, “Maybe you don’t want to see him.”
These two answers may also be the reasons we don’t hear from God as often as we would like. We may not be expecting God to speak, or we may not want him to speak into our lives.
Expectation is linked to faith. If we come to a prayer time or even a church service with little expectation God is going to say anything to us, then we are unlikely to experience God’s direction or guidance. God “rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6) rather than the casual enquirer.
Alternatively, we may not want God to speak into our lives. John Powell talks about this issue in his book, Happiness Is an Inside Job, “At first none of us wants to admit it, but we are all afraid of getting too close to God. A thousand questions and doubts flood into us at the very thought of being close to God. What will God say to me? What will God ask of me? Where will God lead me? The unknown is always a little frightening. And in this case, the stakes are high. My whole life is involved.”
We need to trust God’s character, knowing he is a good God who loves us deeply. May we learn from Lucy, the importance of both expecting and desiring to hear from God.
Thank you for sharing your insight. I wondered about these lines in Prince Caspian but did not know what Lucy meant (or how that would be applicable to my spiritual walk…or if it would be applicable).
Thank you for sharing your insight. I wondered about these lines in Prince Caspian but did not know what Lucy meant (or how that would be applicable to my spiritual walk…or if it would be applicable).
Those are some very astute observations. When I first started paying attention to God and what he wanted. I realized He had been talking to me for years. I either had not been listening, or didn’t want to.
Those are some very astute observations. When I first started paying attention to God and what he wanted. I realized He had been talking to me for years. I either had not been listening, or didn’t want to.
Thanks Carie for dropping by.
Likewise Nate, I realized He had been talking to me for years too. It took me a long while to understand that God would be interested in talking to me.
Thanks Carie for dropping by.
Likewise Nate, I realized He had been talking to me for years too. It took me a long while to understand that God would be interested in talking to me.