Daily devotion: Speak!
Speak to God
Exodus 2:24 — “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.”
We live in a world where communication has never been easier. With the massive shift to smartphones, we can send a text message with the touch of a finger, contact someone immediately, and talk to them wherever we are. As long as we have a signal, we are connected.
A whole new language has developed through SMS abbreviations, emojis and social media shorthand. It has become so embedded in our lives that many people now struggle to communicate their thoughts and feelings in ordinary, spoken English.
Research has also highlighted a concerning trend: children growing up in this social-media environment can struggle to communicate verbally—to speak openly, express their needs and share what is really going on inside them. People simply don’t seem to speak anymore!
Sadly, I wonder if the same paradigm has crept into the Church.
I’m not talking about texting or emojis. I’m talking about speaking to God—in other words, praying.
Even within marriages, husbands and wives can find themselves communicating little more than small talk. The deeper conversations—the sharing of hopes, fears, joys, disappointments and concerns—can become increasingly difficult. We can live under the same roof while remaining isolated from one another at a heart level.
And I fear that many Christians have developed the same kind of relationship with God.
We know we can pray, but we rarely stop and speak to Him.
I personally enjoy speaking my prayers to God as though I were speaking to another living person. As I pray aloud, something happens within me. It breaks the chains of isolation. It causes me to stop, think, reflect and consciously share my heart with my Heavenly Father.
What an incredible privilege!
Yet it seems to be a privilege experienced by far too few today.
I also enjoy reading the Bible aloud when I am at home. I am convinced that hearing the Word spoken helps me slow down, concentrate and better understand what the Holy Spirit is showing me through the Scriptures.
Notice what happened in Exodus: “God heard their groaning.” Their cries did not disappear into the heavens unnoticed. God heard them. He remembered His covenant. He was listening to the voices of His people.
And He still listens today.
Psalm 18:6 says:
“In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.”
When was the last time you spoke vocally to God?
When was the last time you prayed out loud—not simply thinking your prayers, but actually speaking to your Heavenly Father?
When was the last time you opened your Bible and read the Word aloud to yourself or to someone in your family?
Why not try it today?
Find a quiet place. Put the phone down. Turn off the distractions. Open your Bible and speak to God. Tell Him what is on your heart. Share your fears, your joys, your failures, your hopes and your needs.
God’s ear is always tuned to hear the voice of His children.
So speak to Him today. He is listening.