Can YOU hear me now?

This morning, I heard that voice. It calls my name....over and over, until I answer. It draws me in and sometimes is quite annoying. It is a voice that I love to hear, yet know that most times it is going to require something of me. It is a voice that I never tire of, however becomes tiresome as I know what comes next. It never stops until I answer. It is relentless.
It isn't that I didn't hear it the first twelve times. It is just that I was putting it off, busy doing something else. Or sometimes it is just that I don't want to answer. More often than not, I don't answer immediately because I just don't want to.
Eventually, I always answer. Eventually, I tune in, give in, give up and respond.
No, it is not the voice of God....but the voice of my four year old, Micah. (Now, before some of you jump to the conclusion that I am not a good Mom-not always responding to his every beck in call, let me remind ALL of you how many times you have wanted to change your name from "mommy or daddy", because of the incessant calling-for no reason.)

But for many of us....the description above could have described our response to the call of God. I want to train my heart to immediately respond to God and not to delay. Delayed obedience is disobedience. I want to train myself to be so tuned in that I don't put off the call of God.
I felt that call yesterday. It began in the morning. A call to come aside, be in the Word and to fellowship. I heard Him call me. Several times, I went to my desk, only to be sidetracked by "stuff" and then called away. Thank goodness for God's persistence in chasing me.....for He would call me back. It took 4 trips to my desk, away and back, several hours and a nagging call of God to get me to come aside. I must confess that I was ashamed that I had allowed so many other things to become my priority. By 1pm, I had carved out a few minutes to soak in the Word, to bask in His message to me. I turned on some praise music, delved deep and swam through the depths of His greatness. I look back and wonder why I waited? Why I let so many things come first? For the greatness of God is so overwhelming that I can't imagine what could have been so important. Even now, I don't remember. (it might have been the call of my four year old!)

Let's not delay when we hear His voice. Let's not allow other things to become our idols of worship and priority by becoming first place over His call to us. Let's not allow ourselves to be drawn away by things of this world. Let's train our hearts to respond immediately to His call.

My four year old is learning that to "mommy" me to death is not the way to get my attention. He must come to me and speak what He needs...not just call my name over and over. And yet, I am learning that all I have to do is cry out to Him and He will answer. He will come to me and meet my needs. Isn't it great that God is better than we are?

Call to me and I will answer, I will show you great and marvelous things that you have not seen. Jer 33:3
ALL FOR YOU