A Prayer for Tuning Our Lives to God’s Voice - Your Daily Prayer - January 25
Your Daily Prayer
Audio By Carbonatix
By Sophia Bricker, Crosswalk.com
A Prayer for Tuning Our Lives to God’s Voice
By Sophia Bricker
Bible Reading:
“The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, he followed the advice of the young men and said, ‘My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’” - 1 Kings 12:13-14, NIV
Listen or Read Below:
Entering the performing arts theater, I could already hear the musicians preparing for the show. The mixture of sounds as they tuned their instruments provided an orchestra of sorts: the warm flow of the violin with undertones of low notes on the cello, the clarinets and flutes rising and falling in pitch, and the occasional sound of a blowing tuba. Having worked at the theater for multiple years, I was accustomed to the noise and found a sense of comfort in the hum. Most of the musicians could tune by ear, recognizing when a note popped off course. This skill came from years of diligent practice and by paying close attention to the sound of properly tuned instruments. When they finally performed, the sounds wove together to produce a pleasing, harmonious mixture.
Not everyone is trained to recognize when an instrument needs to be tuned. In my experience, I had to rely on an outside source when tuning my guitar–a small electronic device that could read the sound of the string and tell me to tighten or loosen it. Slowly, with each slight turn, my guitar would begin to sound the way it was designed to be played, like the instruments at the theater.
In life, we can sometimes tune ourselves to the wrong notes. The world attempts to sell us stories and ways of thinking that may sound right to our untrained ear, but do not measure up when compared to Scripture. We are told that to be happy, we must chase wealth or prestige, accumulate goods, and everything society insists we must own to have a good life. Or the world spins a tale of negativity, making us believe that everything is meaningless. Thus, we must create meaning for ourselves or embrace hopelessness. When we tune our lives to the messages of the world, we find ourselves playing all the wrong notes and adding to the cacophony.
Rehoboam was the epitome of a person who listened to the wrong voices when directing his life. Instead of heeding the advice of the elders in the court, he chose to listen to his friends, those who had grown up with him and shared similar life experiences (1 Kings 12:6-11). Wisdom was thrown away when he chose to follow a preferred path against the advice of those with greater knowledge. As a result, he lost most of his kingdom (1 Kings 12:16-17). The proverb is true, “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice” (Proverbs 12:15, NIV).
Conforming to the pattern set forth by the world will ultimately bring us heartache. Scripture tells us that we need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). We must stop listening to the wrong stories, voices, and notes. Just as the electronic tuner I use for my guitar helps me tune in, we need to tune our lives to God’s voice. To listen to what He says in His Word about the world and what it means to walk as people of hope.
We can develop a trained ear by making Bible reading a habit, prayerfully allowing the Word to shape us. And as we read, we can store Scripture in our hearts and minds through memorization and meditation. The Holy Spirit will then work to bring verses to mind to guide us as He goes about his transforming work, molding us into the people we were created to be. As we submit to His work, we will find that we produce pleasing music with our lives in honor of the Lord.
Let’s Pray:
Lord, there are many messages that the world wants me to believe. At times, the noise of it overwhelms me, and I become aware of discord in my life. Lead me away from the path of Rehoboam. I want to pursue wisdom and to listen to You instead of the clamoring voices that tickle my ears.
Renew my mind, Holy Spirit, so that I may understand and follow the will of God. And lead me in the knowledge of Your Word, teaching me to treasure it so that I may be more shaped by Your great Story than the one the world tries to sell me. May my life be a symphony of praise to the Lord who saved me. I praise You, the holy God who gives me a new song.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Tatiana
Sophia Bricker is a writer. Her mission is to help others grow in their relationship with Jesus through thoughtful articles, devotionals, and stories. She completed a BA and MA in Christian ministry which included extensive study of the Bible and theology, as well as an MFA in creative writing. You can read her thoughts about literature and faith at The Cross, a Pen, and a Page Substack, or visit the discipleship-based site Cultivate, where she writes with her sister.
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