If He Hears Me... Why Don't I Hear Him?

Day 77:  Exodus 27, Psalm 77 & 1 Samuel 28

Have you ever chosen NOT to listen to one of your children?  Maybe you don't have kids, don't mean to leave you out, so I'll change it up.  Is there someone in your life that continues to make terrible choices even though they ask for you input and you give them sound advice?  You may spend hours helping them process a problem or decision and then they go out and do the exact opposite of what you had determined would be the best course of action.  Pretty soon, you just stop helping them figure it out because it just seems like a waste of time.

Asaph in Psalm 77 begins his prayer with this line, "My voice rises to God..."  I like that.  God hears our prayers.  Process that for a moment.  The voice that spoke light, the sun, moon, planets and stars into existence pauses to listen to your voice when you speak to Him.  That's amazing.

In 1 Samuel 28 though we read about Saul who says, "...The Philistines are waging war against me and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you..."  Saul had gone to a medium to conjure up the Spirit of Samuel (by the way, in this case it was actually who it was supposed to be, Samuel, because God wanted to make sure Saul got the message.  I believe mediums conjure up evil spirits, not the actual person they are supposed to be talking to.  And since Satan knows information about us he is able to make a pretty convincing show, but evil is evil no matter how realistic or pretty it looks).

God had stopped answering Saul, but had not stopped listening to him.  Samuels appearance and response proves that God heard him, but was not responding.  And the reason He wasn't responding is the same reason we stop giving advice to friends who don't take it.

Saul had determined that his way was the best way and he had chosen to disregard God's direction and plan for his life and live by his own rules.  Since God does not "possess" anyone, like Satan does,  Saul was free to go his own way, but God was not going to honor his disobedience.

Are you having a hard time hearing from God?
Have you decided to ask God's opinion and then disregard it and do your own thing?
Know this, God always hears your voice, but He doesn't always respond to it, especially if we've been frivolous with His precepts and directives.

Perhaps it's time to do what Saul couldn't, confess your stubbornness and repent - that means change your behavior.  And see if God doesn't get real loud in your life real fast.