The Israelites are three days into the wilderness when trouble starts. They find water, but it is too bitter to drink.
So they complain.
Moses cries out to God, and the Lord shows him a piece of wood to throw in the water. The water becomes drinkable, and then God says to the people, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God…”
I read that this morning and thought, "That sounds easy enough if God actually speaks out loud."
If a voice from heaven said, “John, here is what you need to do,” I like to think that I would listen carefully. I might even take notes. But most of us don't hear God that way. There is no thunder or burning bush. No divine voice interrupting the devotional.
So, how do we listen carefully when God does not seem to be talking?
Think of listening to God as less like receiving a phone call and more like learning a language. Over time, we become familiar with a language's rhythms and sounds. We learn to recognize the voice of God through Scripture, prayer, wise people, holy community, and the nudging of the Spirit. We also learn to test what we hear by the fruit it produces.
Does this voice lead toward love, mercy, justice, humility, and healing? Or does it merely confirm my fears, my prejudices, and my preferences?
At Marah, God does more than make bitter water sweet. Through that action, God begins forming liberated slaves into a people capable of living freely. Their freedom would come as they learned to listen.
Listening involves learning to trust the Voice guiding you through every wilderness experience. You may not hear God booming from the heavens. But in returning to the Bible, prayer, and faithful community, you learn to recognize what God sounds like.
Stay blessed...john
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