April 24, 2024

Passage Read: Psalm 95-98
Meditation Verses: 95:7-11

Thought

Today, if I desire to hear God's voice, I must be careful not to harden my heart. If I harden my heart against the Lord and His Word, I shouldn't be surprised if He doesn't speak to me, or more accurately, I shouldn't be surprised if I can't hear Him speaking. The problem is not with God, but me, because I don't want to receive and submit to the things He desires, so He speaks but I refuse to hear. That was the problem with the Jews in the wilderness. God spoke regularly, continually, but they refused to believe and obey. So God actually loathed them! Because they were a people who continually went astray in their hearts. They did not know the Lord's ways, not because He wasn't speaking, but because they refused to listen and receive His instructions. Instead, they continually tested and tried Him by their disobedience. So God refused to let them enter His rest.

Application

God has recorded His Word for all to read today. There are recordings of it being read for those who don't like to read. There are preachers speaking and explaining it day after day. There is no excuse for men today to fail to hear God's Word. But just like back then, there are those even in the church who refuse to listen. They like being part of the community, but they don't want to know or do what God desires. Instead, they test God by their waywardness. We cannot coddle them, but must warn them. It is a dangerous thing to ignore the Word of the living God. He sees, He knows, and He loathes such behavior. If they do not repent, they will be refused entry into God's rest. If I am not hearing God speak, it is not because God is silent, but because I don't want to know what He says—because I don't want to change my ways. That's not what I want for myself; it's not what I want for anyone else.