“DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN!”

Ecclesiastes 5:1                                               (ESV)

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of GOD.  TO “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN” IS BETTER THAN TO OFFER SACRIFICE OF FOOLS, for they do not know that they are doing evil.”

Can you remember the last time when you just LISTENED to GOD, maybe with great expectation that HE would give you direction about a decision that was before you?  When I experienced the Brain Hemorrhage in 2007, my conversation abilities were greatly curtailed, and that is being kind.  Previously, I always had something to say, even if it was wrong!  Hindsight reveals that there wasn’t very many times that I would simply LISTEN, even when communicating with the Heavenly FATHER.  Adjusting to my “word recall” being greatly hindered caused me to be extremely hesitant in conversations.  It was as if GOD said HE would get me to be quiet in HIS OWN way!  

King Solomon, the wisest man born, is named as the author of Ecclesiastes.  Since GOD says through Solomon “TO “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN” IS BETTER THAN TO OFFER SACRIFICE OF FOOLS”, we should probably “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN” more often?  Yet a majority of the time we seemingly run into the THRONE ROOM and throw our wish list on the altar of beggars hoping that GOD is also in a hurry and will grant our desires with no questions asked.  

ALMIGHTY GOD doesn’t work quite like that though!  Psalms 46:10, one of my favorite verses, says “BE STILL, and KNOW that I am GOD.  I WILL BE EXALTED among the nations.  I WILL BE EXALTED in the earth”.  GOD WILL BE EXALTED, whether we slow down or someone else slows down to acknowledge HIM.  When we “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN”, we have to slow our lives enough to hear a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12).  

It has been said “you cannot listen to someone while you are talking to them”. When we “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN” we probably need to be quiet?  My emotional reactions are another form of NOT LISTENING to GOD!  Our HEAVENLY FATHER is Glorified when we “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN”, not when we berate others!  “DRAW NEAR TO LISTEN” is a characteristic that I need to yield to more often!!!