Hebrews 12:25-26 "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: (26) Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven."
"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh." We are not to
decline or beg off from obeying the Lord as He directs us through this life.
But before we can even consider that part of the verse, we must understand that
indeed the Lord speaks to us each day we live. It is astonishing to know
that many people, who proclaim to be Christians, do not believe the Lord is
active in the lives of His people on a daily basis. I would hate to think I had
to go one day without the Lord speaking to me, in some fashion. We've even seen
in this chapter that He speaks to us in a chastening voice at times. But the
beautiful part of that is this, He does it because He loves us. We must develop
a heart that is prepared and ready to listen for, and to, the voice of
God. This is the time when the Lord says to us, "Be still and know
that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
Yes, the Lord does communicate with His people by His Holy Spirit through His
Word and even through those things we call nature. When you see a glorious
sunrise or sunset, know the Lord is speaking of His power and glory. When you
hear a bird singing a beautiful tune, know the Lord put that music within that
bird. The flowers in the Springtime and even the turning of the leaves in the
Fall speak of the Lord's faithfulness. "While the earth remaineth,
seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and
night shall not cease." (Genesis 8:22)
So many of the Psalms are filled with the requests for God to hear their
prayers. Time and again, we read words such as, "Hear, O LORD." But
there are also times when the opposite is heard. One such example of God
speaking is found in Psalm 50:7, "Hear, O my people, and I will speak."
Today's verse is the second time the writer has implored us in the book
of Hebrews to pay attention to the words of the Lord. We read in Hebrews 3:15,
"While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your
hearts, as in the provocation." And once again, today we read, "See
that ye refuse not him that speaketh." I close today's devotion with
the exhortation to myself and to all: Let us develop a heart that is
ready and open to hear the Word of the Lord.