Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Does God Really Listen?


Listen, my precious daughter,
 
Do you know how much I love you?
Do you know how beloved I see you?
Do you believe how deeply I know you?
Do you believe how clearly I hear you?

Your cries, your questions, 
your curiosities, your concerns,
I hear them all.
It is my delight to hear you call.

When you pour out your heart,
whether in praise or confession,
confusion or profession,
whether with confidence or feeling condemnation,
I'm listening.

I'm listening when you're worried,
I'm listening when you're whining.
I'm listening when you're content
and when you're stressed and pining.
I'm listening when your joy is full
and when your peace is perfect.
I'm listening when you're scared and nervous
because your path seems uncertain.

I'm always listening.

Not because I'm looking for your failures
or scouting out your faults.
I'm not planning my rebuttal
or rehearsing my defense and righteous laws.
I'm never preoccupied with what you might say next.
My focus is never anywhere else but in the present.
With you.

I'm just listening.

I'm listening because I love you.
Because I care for you.
Because I delight in you.
Because I'm committed to you.

I listen because I need you to know that I am with you,
for you.
That I see you--
not just what you do but who you are.
(I have always known you;
who you were then, 
who you are now,
who you are becoming.
It is my joy to see you.)

Sure, I could take a spectator's seat in the nosebleed section.
I could watch you from afar in the stands.

But I don't ever want to be far from you.
I want to be near, standing with you.
Walking beside you.
Listening to your heart.

And if you share with me,
there's nothing you can say 
that will ever change the way 
I feel about you.

But what you share may
very well change the way
you feel about me.

So pour out your heart to me, precious one!
Sing, shout, whisper, wail.
My ears are tuned to your cries.
Your voice is my joy when you call.

So speak, sweet child.

Then take a turn,

and 

listen.


Love,
Your Listening God


*     *     *

The Good Lord stirred this letter in my heart in response to the prompt "How I...Listen" at Elise's inspiring new"How I...Community." If you haven't read this girl, you need to. 

I'm also blessed to link up with wonderful heart sisters, Jennifer and Holly.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen and Amen. So glad I "listened" to your writings today.

Theresa | Heavenly Glimpses said...

Beautiful!

Renee said...

Sometimes I forget that God has special messages for me because I'm His precious daughter. Thanks for this lovely reminder of His heart. So glad I stopped in from Tell His Story. Blessings!

BARBIE said...

Beautiful and so encouraging!

Lyli @3-D Lessons for Life said...

Becky, those boys are cuties!
I haven't started reading Love Idol yet, but your words here make me want to pick it up right now.

I am so thankful that we have an approving Heavenly Father! :)

Simply Beth said...

A beautiful and encouraging message for the heart! Thank you!! Blessings. xoxo

Unknown said...

This is going in my journal Becky! Beautiful!