Draw Near Listen
Draw Near – Listen
“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.� Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
These words seem strange to us in today’s church world. We have so much instruction that teaches us to “…pour out your heart to God� Psalm 62:8b, that the instruction to measure our words seems contradictory and out of place.
The word of God is balanced, completely. Never is it out of balance. The instruction to measure our words and the instruction to pour out our hearts are both valid and both important. However, when any one truth is over-stated in our thinking, then we get out of balance, and become unaware of the total picture.
We must not only pour out our hearts in prayer, we must also come to a point when we realize out hearts have been poured out, and poured out, and poured out. Now comes the time to measure what we say in order to listen. “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.� Proverbs 18:2 Again the passage is encouraging us not to make our heart needs the primary focus in our conversation with others or with our Heavenly Father.
He desires to share Himself with us. He can only pour out His heart as we are willing to listen. Part of that listening is done as we read His word. Some listening is in quiet and stillness as we simply share in His presence and His moment. Prayer is an experience between two. It is a dialogue between our Heavenly Father and us. A one sided conversation between friends means someone is left out. It is the same in prayer.
Lord Jesus, we long to listen and hear Your heart. We choose to be quiet and allow You to speak in Your word, and in the quiet of our stillness.
Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.� Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
These words seem strange to us in today’s church world. We have so much instruction that teaches us to “…pour out your heart to God� Psalm 62:8b, that the instruction to measure our words seems contradictory and out of place.
The word of God is balanced, completely. Never is it out of balance. The instruction to measure our words and the instruction to pour out our hearts are both valid and both important. However, when any one truth is over-stated in our thinking, then we get out of balance, and become unaware of the total picture.
We must not only pour out our hearts in prayer, we must also come to a point when we realize out hearts have been poured out, and poured out, and poured out. Now comes the time to measure what we say in order to listen. “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.� Proverbs 18:2 Again the passage is encouraging us not to make our heart needs the primary focus in our conversation with others or with our Heavenly Father.
He desires to share Himself with us. He can only pour out His heart as we are willing to listen. Part of that listening is done as we read His word. Some listening is in quiet and stillness as we simply share in His presence and His moment. Prayer is an experience between two. It is a dialogue between our Heavenly Father and us. A one sided conversation between friends means someone is left out. It is the same in prayer.
Lord Jesus, we long to listen and hear Your heart. We choose to be quiet and allow You to speak in Your word, and in the quiet of our stillness.
Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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