Did you ever sit in class as a kid and drift off? You were tired or just kept thinking about the girl sitting a few desks over. You just couldn’t keep focused on what the teacher was talking about at the chalkboard. The next thing you know the teacher is standing a few feet in front of you pointing her finger and telling you “Now pay attention young man!” So you say, “Sorry Mam! I will pay attention.” Then you sat yourself up straight in the chair and started listening much more intently out of fear you would be sent to the Principle’s office.
Even as mature adults we can still tend to drift off when we are supposed to be paying attention. We drift off while our spouse is trying to tell us how their day went or we drift off while we are sitting at our desk at work. Most of the time, when we are drifting off we shouldn’t be. We should be focused on our spouse or our job. We can get in to some bad situations when we drift off. As Christians, we can do the same thing. We drift off at church during the sermon. We drift off during our prayer time. We drift off when the Holy Spirit is trying to get our attention. Just like the school teacher’s voice that becomes monotone like Ferris Bueller’s teacher and we tune it out, we tune out the Holy Spirit’s voice. Throughout our day He can be telling us important things we need to be aware of, remember or do. He can prevent us from falling in to the ditch of sin as we walk with the Lord through the day. The Apostle Paul gave a great example of the Holy Spirit speaking to him in Acts 20:22-24.
22 “And now I am on my way to Jerusalem, bound in my spirit, not knowing what I will encounter there, 23 except that in town after town the Holy Spirit testifies to me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me. 24 But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.
Paul wasn’t getting a message that was very encouraging from the Holy Spirit, but it was something He needed to pay attention to and be aware of. Stephen was giving the last speech he would ever give to the men that were about to kill him. Read this one line he told them in Acts 7:51.
“You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit; as your ancestors did, so do you.
If we don’t start paying attention to the Holy Spirit when He speaks to us we may find ourselves in the same boat as these religious leaders that were stoning Stephen. We will become stiff-necked and resistant to the Holy Spirit. Soon we won’t hear Him at all. In all wisdom, start trying to tune in what the Holy Spirit is telling you as you go through your day, even things that might seem earthly, mundane or routine. He can give you all kinds of advice, wisdom, help, and guidance. You will find with each time that you hear and respond appropriately you will gain an even more keen awareness of His presence and voice. You will find that He was probably talking to you more than you ever knew all those times you weren’t paying attention.
Now Pay Attention Young Man!
January 22, 2013
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Advice, Bible, Christian, Christian Values, Christianity, Church, Counsel, Devotional, Faith, God, Holy Spirit, Religion, Spiritual, Spirituality, Study, Uncategorized
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Comments on: "Now Pay Attention Young Man!" (2)
Great post. One thing I’d like to add if you’ll allow me…reading the Word of God is key to your relationship with the Holy Spirit. Reading and hiding the Word of God in our hearts is how we learn to recognize the Holy Spirit’s leading, guiding, and direction in our lives. Keep up the great writing. God bless you and yours.
So very true! I have always said you need to be in God’s Word every day and memorization or hiding it in your heart is key to a close walk with God.