Take Time to Unplug

The train glides along metal rails to deliver passengers to their destination. A woman is one of the passengers. Her favorite music flows out of earbuds and her eyes focus on a screen spewing images and voices from every portal her device can access.   

Time passes. A voice over the train’s intercom announces the next stop. The woman doesn’t hear the voice. A transit employee ambles down the aisle and announces the next stop. The woman doesn’t hear his voice.

The train stops and passengers step out. But the woman remains. The resumed movement of the train jolts the woman free from the music, images and voices flooding her mind. She didn’t hear the voice over the intercom. She didn’t hear the voice of the transit employee. And because she didn’t hear—she missed her stop.

We’re God’s children. What if we’re so “plugged into” the voices, images, and music of the world we don’t hear God’s voice?  Is there a consequence?

Don’t Miss God’s Voice

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?” And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”   Isaiah 6:8

There is a consequence to not hearing God’s voice. Isaiah wouldn’t have responded with, “Here am I. Send me!” We won’t respond either and like the woman on the train—we’ll miss our stop.

The Bible reveals much about God’s children hearing and responding to His voice. In many instances the common thread is a minimum of distraction.  David spent quiet hours as a shepherd. Moses experienced the “burning bush” when grazing his sheep.  John the Baptist and many prophets heard God’s voice while in the desert wilderness.

Does this mean we won’t hear God’s voice unless we move to a remote location?  No, that’s not what we’re expected to do. God has placed us where He wants us to serve and likely we’re not in a remote area.

But God’s children are asked to hear God’s voice and respond. And we can do this by unplugging from the world to spend time with God.

Unplug from the world and spend time with God.

The act of unplugging requires intention and choosing a place to spend time with God. We can choose prayer. Maybe we read or meditate on God’s Word. Perhaps we reflect on how God has revealed His love in our life. Or we can choose to rest—rest in His presence.   

When we spend time with God, we’ll hear His voice.

What Application Looks Like

Sara is busy with church activities. Busy with family. Busy with care of an elderly parent. Busy with running a house and paying the bills. But she doesn’t miss time with God. Daily she prays and reads God’s Word. She turns off outside distractions for time with God. She wants to hear God’s voice.

Emily is driven by impulse to tune into every media portal to see what’s going on in the world. The information pours into her ears and eyes as she fixates on the images and voices coming though technology portals. Does she know God and trust Him? Yes. But the avalanche from the world pours into her and she can’t hear God’s voice.

Do you want to be Emily or Sara?

Unplug from the world and spend time with God.