Day 20 – We Do The Listening
As you begin to spend time with God, settle yourself somewhere quiet and comfortable. Take a few deep breaths. Spend a few moments gathering your thoughts, becoming aware of God’s presence with you and in you.
Journal for 5 minutes on yesterday’s reflection and practice. What did you think about and learn? What challenged you? Did God say anything to you throughout the day?
Then, begin today’s devotional.
Read: Deuteronomy 11:18-2
“Imprint these words of mine on your hearts and minds, bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates, so that as long as the heavens are above the earth, your days and those of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your fathers.
Proverbs 6:20-23
My son, keep your father’s command,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching.
Always bind them to your heart;
tie them around your neck.
When you walk here and there, they will guide you;
when you lie down, they will watch over you;
when you wake up, they will talk to you.
For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light,
and corrective discipline is the way to life.
More Reading: Psalm 119:89-105
I grew up in the age of “Bible drills”. In case you didn’t experience this same trend in church culture, let me explain—a Bible drill consisted of you and another kid getting out your Bibles with the cartoon Noah’s ark on the front (preferably retrieved from your stylish cross-stitched zip-up Bible case), waiting for your Sunday school teacher to give a Scripture reference, and then seeing who could find that reference the fastest and read the verse for the group. It was the perfect blend of adrenaline, furious page-turning, and wondering to yourself where Habakkuk actually is located.
After Bible drills, we would sit down with our page of memory verses and practice memorizing and reciting them for our teachers. I can still remember the feeling of intense concentration at age 8 trying to recite three sentences from Romans.
In the age of iPhone apps, I don’t think Bible drills happen as frequently anymore. But those silly competitions and sitting down with my memory verse sheets instilled a deep understanding in my soul—God has something to say to us, and we have to put in the work to listen.
In Deuteronomy 11, God relays an important command to his people—“lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand”. The God of the Universe is speaking, and we should do whatever it takes to hold His words in our hearts.
In Judaism, devout Jewish people take this command so seriously that they strap phylacteries, which are small leather boxes containing scrolls of the Torah, to their foreheads and hands when they pray as a reminder of this commandment. How much more should we hold tightly to the words God has given us through Jesus, our Messiah?
You may be in a season where you are wondering where God’s voice is. May this knowledge comfort you—He has given us His words, His instructions, and His heart through the Bible. This isn’t hokey Christianese. He is speaking. You have an opportunity to hear from Him today. His Word is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). Are you taking time to listen and truly hear what He wants to speak to you today through His Word?
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for the Bible. I know that there are many believers around the world who don’t have access to Scripture, and it is a privilege to learn from Your Word. Give me a thirst for living water. Speak to me through Your Scripture today.
Journal:
Take a few moments to journal through the following question(s).
Have you ever thought of reading the Bible as a form of listening to God speak to you, and memorizing the Bible as a way of internalizing His voice? How does this impact or change your perspective about whether or not God is actively speaking to you in your life?
Consider what voices you listen to the most in your life. How might your life be guided more by God’s voice if you were to first read or reference Scripture whenever you are making a decision or looking for guidance?
Today’s Practice:
Pick a verse or passage from the Bible that you’ve never memorized. Write it on a Post-It note and keep it on your mirror, your phone case, or in your car. Practice reciting and memorizing that verse today.
Tips for memorizing Bible verses:
Choose a verse to memorize that speaks to something in your life right now.
Start small.
Write it down.
Say it out loud.
Incorporate the verse in your prayers.
Put it everywhere.
Repeat, repeat, repeat!
By Abby Stovall, Housing Coordinator