What If You’re Hearing God… But Not Listening?

Isaiah 48:1 – “Hear this O house of Jacob, called by the name Israel, who came from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.

I think it’s interesting that God’s people are named Jacob, which means “supplanter, or to circumvent” and Israel, which means “one who wrestles with God”. Seeing the repeated failures of the Jews in the Old Testament, give those names deeper significance. But if we will be honest, those names would apply to “God’s people” today. We are often wrestling with God about His will for us. We are frequently trying to circumvent some humbling work of God in our lives.

God’s way is the way of brokenness, submission, and humility. None of us would choose that path on our own. We prefer the way of honor, recognition, and respect. Our will seems a lot more fun and enjoyable than God’s will. It did to Israel as well. See, “God’s people” today are no different than “God’s people” then. If you have spent any time reading the Old Testament you know where that attitude led Israel.

So what is God’s message to us?

Verse one: “Hear this…”. Verse six: “You have heard, now see all this.” But they didn’t. Verse eight: “You have never heard, you have never known from of old, your ear has not been opened.”

They heard the words of Isaiah and the other prophets God sent, but the words didn’t register. The people paid no attention to God.

So God said in verse twelve, “Listen to me, O Jacob (supplanter) and Israel (wrestler with God) whom I called.” In verse fourteen He commands, “Assemble all of you and listen!” In verse sixteen He cries, “Draw near and hear this.”

But they don’t. In verse eighteen God grieves, “Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments”, then He reviews all of the blessings they had missed out on.

So what does God want His people to hear that we have tried so hard to avoid?

You can see it clearly in verses twelve through nineteen. God wants us to hear about Him. God wants us to look clearly at who He is: the creator, the first and the last, who declares the end from the beginning, our redeemer, our Holy One, the Lord God, our teacher, the one who leads us in the way we should go, the giver of peace and righteousness, the one who blesses our families. God wants us to truly hear about HIM!

Because when we finally pay attention and actually hear who God is for us, we will worship Him in spirit and in truth. We won’t be able to help ourselves. And that kind of sincere worship of almighty God creates a home for Him!

And that’s what He wants…”To dwell in our hearts through faith.” Ephesians 3:17-19

So stop what you’re doing and listen to Him! That’s where it starts.