Consider for a moment that there is a sovereign God and that He wants to communicate with you.  If you believe that is true then the most important task you have is to hear from Him.  This leads to the question, “How do I hear from God?”

As we think of ways that God speaks to us most of us readily think of the Bible.  When we read His word, we receive insights, wisdom, and guidance.  As the Psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Deuteronomy 6:4 exhorts the reader to “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”  This passage is known as the “Shema” which is the Hebrew word that conveys the idea to hear, to listen, or to obey.  Jesus reinforced this concept when he was asked “What is the greatest commandment?”  “Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH’” (Mark 12:29-30).

Jesus also told the Jewish people that “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).  How do we hear His voice today – we read the Bible so we know what He has taught and are able to follow Him.

What is your plan for hearing from God through His word?  If you aim at nothing you’ll probably hit it.  We need a plan for a systematic intake of God’s word.  When I was a young Christian I was introduced to the “hand illustration” by the Navigators as a strategy for hearing God through His word.

Let your little finger represent hearing God’s word.  “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).  There are a variety of ways to hear God’s word but if that is our only source of intake we will not have a strong grip on God’s word.

The next finger represents reading the Bible.  We can become selective in our reading and a plan for reading through the entire Bible is helpful to give us the full counsel of God’s word.  The Apostle John writes in Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”  Reading gives me an overall bird’s eye view of the Bible.

Studying on the other hand gives me a worm’s eye view (although worms don’t have eyes) but it enables me to go deep into the Bible.  Luke describes the diligence of the Bereans, “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).  Paul also admonishes Timothy, ” Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Memorizing God’s word enables us to have the Scriptures readily available to overcome temptation in our lives or to help others.  The Psalmist writes, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.  With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments.  Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You” (Psalm 119:9-11).

Finally we consider meditation, the thumb which is used with the other strategies. As you meditate on God’s Word you are able to discern the meaning and consider its application to your life.  The Psalmist realized the transforming power of God’s word in his life. “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1-3).

All of these strategies are important to help us to effectively hear from God.  What strategy have you found most helpful for you in your walk with God?