That You May Know - Fresh Start for Moms

I’VE SPENT THE LAST several years encouraging prayer warriors to pray more. This is no easy feat in our busy world. And as if praying isn’t hard enough, the part of prayer that requires listening through the noise feels nearly impossible. If your world is anything like mine, it’s wall-to-wall giggling, screaming, and singing, leaving little room to hear a whisper from the Lord.

Despite how challenging prayer is, though, it’s worth it. That’s because hearing from God determines so much about how we walk through this life. In the story about Joshua in the battle for the Promised Land, we read these words spoken to him from the Lord: “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand” (Joshua 8:18, ESV). So Joshua stretched out his javelin toward the city.

What strikes me about this passage is that the Lord gave instructions to Joshua in the middle of battle, and Joshua heard him. I’d prefer to get all my instructions before the chaos begins. Maybe in my early-morning time, when the rest of the house is asleep. But the fact that the Lord spoke in the midst of the battle reminds me that he longs to speak to me in the chaos, too, not just in the quiet moments. And truth be told, most days that’s when I need to be listening for him the most—when I’m in the middle of my daily battles.

Hearing God is life altering. When we’re attuned to his voice, it can change the entire trajectory of our day. The question is, are we willing to listen?

Will we plow headfirst into destruction, or will we avoid the pitfalls of going our own way because we clearly heard the Lord redirecting us?

Will we believe the world’s lies and face discouragement, or will we hear the Lord prompting us to embrace his joy instead?

Perhaps the most amazing thing about communicating with God is that he longs to reveal himself to us. I love finding patterns of repetition in the Bible. In the story about God sending plagues to Egypt to set the Israelites free, we see similar wording repeated six times in four chapters: “that you may know” and “you shall know.” In each case, God is longing to reveal himself to human beings.

My guess is that you want God to reveal himself to you, too. Sometimes the evil one holds us back, and sometimes it’s our own sin. But I’d venture to say that most of the time it’s the pint-sized voices and the noble art of taking care of small humans that dull the voice of God. This might seem like a justifiable reason to ignore God, but he has a word for you today. He wanted the Israelites to know him even in the midst of challenging times, and that’s what he wants for us, too:

• “that you may know there is no one like the LORD our God” (Exodus 8:10, NIV; see also 9:14)
• “you shall know that I am the LORD” (Exodus 7:17, ESV; see also 10:2)
• “that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth” (Exodus 8:22, ESV)
• “that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s” (Exodus 9:29, ESV)

When we know how big God is, it helps us continue coming back to him. When we see him for who he truly is, we are less likely to see him as some pesky obligation and just one more person who wants our time and attention. As we see more of who he is through his Word, we recognize what a privilege it is that he longs to speak with us.

ACTION STEP

Set a timer for five minutes, and then lie on the ground on your back. With your hands up in the air, ask God, “What do you want me to do today, knowing you are Lord?” Chances are, you won’t get a clear, audible response, but invite the Lord to speak anyway. When you rise, keep the same listening posture throughout your day.

PRAYER

Father, what an honor it is that you long to speak to me! I am humbled and overwhelmed by your love for me. I’m also embarrassed by how often I see spending time with you as an obligation. Please shift my heart and put a passion in me to find enough stillness in my days so I can hear you whisper to me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

MORNING QUESTIONS

TAKEAWAY TODAY | What tends to distract you from prayer and from hearing God’s voice?

Take a moment to ponder what it means that God wants to reveal himself to you. How does it feel to be pursued by the God of the universe?

DREADING TODAY | Is there anything you’re dreading today?

REDEFINING TODAY | If so, what is another way you can view that thing you’re dreading?

ASKING GOD TODAY | What request are you bringing before the Lord today?

EVENING QUESTIONS

REFLECTION | Were there any moments today when you heard God’s voice in the midst of the battle?

LITTLE VICTORIES | Where did you see God show up even in small ways, reminding you that you aren’t alone?

WHITE FLAG MOMENTS | When did you want to hide or escape today?

MEMORY OF THE DAY | What do you want to relish and thank God for?