Psalm 119:6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

When you do not respect the Word of God you will not find relief in it. People do what makes them feel good and if you disrespect the Word all that is meant for your good as a blessing is withheld. Instinctively we know we have not respected the Word because we carry our shame.

Disrespect allows for the alternative thought to enter in, “ye shall not surely die”, right Eve? That is the obvious but the enemy is much more subtle than that these days. “You misread it.” “You haven’t taken everything into account.” “It is too complicated for you to understand by yourself.” “That can be interpreted so many ways.”

Getting back on topic of why we do not hear God, let me offer another excuse.

Matthew 4:24b those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, …

We are afraid of hearing voices lest some might think us insane. Granted that the actions of some have only increased that fear because of the evil they have done “at God’s instruction”. No one said you have to publicly admit you have heard voices. All we ask is that you confirm with trusted advisors that what you have heard truly is the Lord. “Prophesy is of no private interpretation.” God will speak to others if it is the Lord.

That is just some of the reasons we do not hear God. There is one reasonable question left that I have not asked or answered. Here it is.

“If I read the bible and believe the bible and act on His commandments, why do I need to hear God?”

Fair question, I will endeavor to answer that tomorrow.

Exodus 20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

Let me first say this devotional has nothing to do with salvation. This is not a salvation issue. Having said that allow me to give you a rare thus saith the LORD.

“If you cannot hear me, it is not my fault.”

Why is it that believers feel like they never hear God? I understand non-believers making that claim, but why do so many Christians say it? I expect there are as many reasons as there are those who say it. We all like to think our reasons are special. Maybe they are, but I look to the bible and seek the examples set forth by the Word. Here is the first one.

“I don’t want to hear God speak to me.”

That isn’t just fear talking if you are thinking 20:19 is about fear. The “lest we die” part isn’t all about fear. Moses speaks directly to the issue in verse 20 with “that ye sin not”. Heaven forbid that the God who knows my every fault should call me on my sins and tell me to stop. It is much easier to listen to a pastor preach and every now and then when the subject of my sin comes up, I can lie to myself and say he must be talking about someone else. The pastor will never know. If he figures it out, I can always change churches.

That is about the weakest excuse I can think of because it still does not address what God thinks about what we are doing. This brings me around to point two.

Numbers 14:22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

They have no respect for what the Word of God says.

More on this tomorrow.