This morning I was reflecting some more on hearing God and learning to listen. As I was doing so, I was reminded of the ways others have experienced hearing and being guided by the Lord. I was thinking of the multiple and varied ways God speaks, and how He desires us to grow in our abilities to hear, and desires us to grow in the breadth of our experience of His speaking. I was moved to pray the following prayer - "Lord, I want to grow in my ability to hear You! I want to be open to You expanding how You speak."
At that point I decided to open my Bible, and immediately thought of Matthew Chapter 11. Now I have read Matthew's Gospel many times, but I still don't know what's all in each chapter, although I might remember some of the verses in a particular chapter. So I turned to Matthew 11 not knowing what I would read. Within in a minute of praying that prayer, these are the verses I read - Matthew 11:25-27 NIV:
[25] "At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. [26] Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do."
[27] “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
Talk about an immediate answer to one's prayer! Here I am asking for greater revelation, learning new things and experiencing new things, and I am led to a set of verses where Jesus is talking about revealing hidden things, and how it pleases the Father to do so! He is talking about revealing these things in the place of relationship, which requires communication! Wow!
Thank You Lord, for so quickly confirming that You hear my prayers and answer them. I thank You that You take pleasure in my pursuit of You, in my pursuit of learning to hear and understand. I am so grateful for all that You have taught me, and for all that you will reveal to me!
I was just thinking about how similar this is to my joy in teaching my son and daughter about my job and experiences in the telecommunications industry. In both of their lives, I have had the opportunity to pour into them from my years of experience, as they worked for me as interns and I mentored them. I am just grateful they want to learn from me, and value my experience and knowledge. It fills me with pride and joy as I see their accomplishments and demonstrated knowledge, as I see them grow and advance. In the same way, I believe the Father takes pleasure and joy in our pursuing Him for understanding and greater experience of Him! In a very real way, we are all be mentored by Him! He desires for us to grow and become more and more like Him, and is just waiting to help us. I know that you have issued the invitation to each of us, and I, for one, am accepting it!
Wow! I don't know that I have ever thought of prayer and discipleship that way, but that is exactly what Jesus is talking about in these verses from Matthew. He is revealing hidden things to those that come to Him, to those who desire to grow in their knowledge and understanding. "No one knows the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him" and we are some of those to whom He chooses to reveal the Father!
Wow! Wow! Wow! My heart is overwhelmed! I am so grateful that You consider me worthy of revelation, and that You take pleasure in my learning! Oh Lord, I ask for continuing revelation, for continuing growth, for hidden things to be revealed, for Your pleasure! I am so glad for this opportunity to be mentored by You!
I now have a deeper understanding of Paul's prayer for us in Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV:
[16] "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Amen and Amen!
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