1Kings 3:9 “Here’s what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?”
God has appeared to Solomon, now King of Israel after David’s death, and asked him what he wants. Most translations of the Bible use the word “wisdom” for what Solomon asks for, but I loved this description: “a God-listening heart”. Isn’t that what we all need -- a direct line to the divine? But of course it’s not that simple. The key here I think is listening. How do I listen for God’s “voice”? First I need quiet, silence, space and separation from the chatter of everyday life—of our culture, the media, phones and cell phones and pagers and ipods, other people, and of course, the chatter in my own mind. That last is probably the hardest. Then I need some way to tune in to the Presence. Jim Finley, a teacher and former monk under Thomas Merton, talks about being “present, open and awake”. Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now, talks about being in the Now. Each of us hears and understands what that means differently, but it does mean something about being in the present moment, distracted neither by the past or the future, “neither clinging to nor rejecting anything”, as Jim Finley elaborates. Lent is a good time to spend time in quiet, listening to God. In the next verse, it says, “God…was delighted with Solomon’s response.” God is delighted with us, too, when we choose to spend time in God’s presence.
Prayer: Dear Lord, Life is so full of distractions, it’s easy to get pulled away from my focus on You. Help me say no to distractions, take the time and the space to sit in Your Presence that I may listen with all my heart. Amen
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