Mark 4:21

Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.”

Jesus often spoke using parables. On the surface, they were just simple stories, but they all had a very deep spiritual meaning. Like me, you may well have been listening to the parables since you were young, and I’m sure you’d agree that they keep challenging and encouraging us in new ways. We are not always in a position to understand what God is saying to us, but he is always in the business of shining his light on our lives. He wants us to understand what his will is, and the Bible is one of the main ways in which he chooses to speak with us.

So the question we all need to ask is this: “How are we going to make sure that God’s light shines in our lives?” First of all, we need to set aside time to receive God’s truth. However busy your life is, you need to make sure you have time to reflect on what God is saying to you. These brief devotionals may well be helpful to you, but you also need to stand back and consider what these words mean for you personally. That cannot be done in a hurry. You may be able to go for a walk or sit quietly in a room, and as you do so, you need to invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you and to apply God’s word to your life.

From time to time, it is good to set aside a longer period of time to listen to God. Perhaps you can go on a personal retreat where for a day or a number of days you can spend time reflecting on what he is saying to you. There are scores of wonderful retreat houses throughout the United Kingdom where you would receive a warm welcome and where you can allow God’s light to shine. Putting the lamp of God’s truth under the basket of our busy lives just doesn’t make sense.

Question

What do you find the most helpful way of listening to God?

Prayer

Lord God, I thank you that you are constantly seeking to speak with me. Help me to carve out time to listen carefully to your word. Amen