Can You Hear Him?
“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.” (Joshua 1:6 NIV)
Do you remember those Verizon commercials from a few years ago? An actor went everywhere he could think of, searching for a clear cellular signal and asking, “Can you hear me now?”
I often feel like that Verizon guy in my own home when I’m talking to my kids. When I ask for toys to be picked up or the dishwasher to be loaded, their ears don’t hear me. I say their names, ask them for help, and it’s as though I didn’t even speak. I’m shown no acknowledgment. On more than one occasion I’ve said, “Can anyone hear me?”
One of my sons is the worst offender. When he’s playing with Legos or Wii, I have to ask him to stop what he’s doing, and then say, “Give me your eyes.” When his eyes are on me, I know I have his full attention and that he’s listening to me. Then I have him repeat back to me what he heard to confirm he was listening.
I’ve found that my voice alone doesn’t command his attention. He can respond to me without turning his head, but as he continues with what he’s doing, he doesn’t truly listen to me. As the saying goes, “It goes in one ear and out the other.”
As frustrating as this is to me as a mom, I realize I, too, am at fault. Sometimes when my kids talk to me while I’m looking at my phone or reading a book, or when I’m in the middle of making dinner, I don’t fully listen to what they’re saying. I find myself asking, “I’m sorry, what did you just say?” They didn’t have my full attention. Sure, I heard them talking, but I didn’t listen to them.
Worse yet, sometimes my eyes aren’t on Jesus, and so I neglect to listen to him. When I allow worldly distractions to steal my focus, listening to Jesus is hard. Or when I’m consumed with worry and trying to figure out what to do on my own, my eyes fall off Jesus, and I don’t hear him. I know it’s not because he’s not there; God is always with us. I’m just lacking the ears to hear. He’s probably asking, “Can you hear me now?”
Thankfully, my son and I are not alone in our selective hearing battle. The Bible is a source of comfort to me, knowing that others who went before me, who are recorded as God’s people, didn’t hear God the first time. God, too, had to repeat himself.
In Joshua 1, God tells Joshua three separate times to be strong and courageous. When I read that, it made me wonder why God had to do that. Was Joshua not listening to him?
I’m not sure why God reiterated to Joshua his command to be strong and courageous, but I’m thankful he did. I’m thankful that I can read those words in verse 6, and again in verse 7, and then again in verse 9. I needed to read them three times for them to really stick with me.
The Bible is full of commands that are repeated multiple times, and I wholeheartedly believe that’s so they’ll sink in—so we’ll hear what God is telling us.
Can You Hear Him?
God is patient and steadfast. I’m thankful that he never grows weary of repeating himself to me when I fail to listen. When I’m having difficulty hearing him clearly, I need to “give him my eyes” and listen with my full attention.
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your willingness to speak your truth to me over and over. When my eyes are lured away, and I’m having trouble hearing you, please help me to give them to you and listen to you above all else. I want to hear you clearly. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Scripture for Reflection
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 NIV)
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV)
Reach for More
Is God speaking to you? Are you listening to what he’s been telling you? Give your eyes to Jesus. Actively pursue a conversation with him. Live with the expectation of hearing from him. Commit to spending time in his Word and in prayer to see what he has to say.
is a homeschooling mom of four. She is a Jersey girl at heart but now lives in Michigan with her husband Jeff and their kids. Heather enjoys reading, coffee-ing, worshipping and writing. She is passionate about her family and living the full life. You can find her at heathergerwing.com.
Photograph © Alireza Attari, used with permission
