Listening in Prayer

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

LISTENING IN PRAYER

Acts 13:1-5

13:1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. 4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

NIV

These prophets and teachers that were in Antioch were most likely not holding the office of prophet or teacher as those scriptures defining those offices have not yet been written, as was likely very little of any of what we consider the New Testament in writing. Prophets were simply men who could foretell events, as inspired or revealed by the Spirit, and teachers were instructors in the message of the gospel. It is interesting how when people pray, the Lord speaks. We have considered prayer on many occasions throughout the years of devotions, and we always come away with the simple fact that prayer is having a conversation with the Lord, and conversations are two-way. Having deduced the Lord gave us two ears and one mouth, it would make sense, that we should listen twice as much as we talk, especially during our time with the Lord. How are we ever going to hear from God, when we are babbling on with all our words? It seems at times that all we are doing is leaving a voice message in God’s tape recorder, or we should say, to be more up to date, leaving a message on his cell phone. We just voice our wants then hang up. In Antioch, they were fasting and praying, it was a time of commitment to being in the presence of the living God. While they were praying, and this must have been during their listening time, the Spirit spoke. It was a directive to set Saul and Barnabas apart for the work he called them to do. It is interesting the men accepted the word of the Lord, placed their hands on the two of them, and sent them on their way by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit continued to speak in some manner, instructing, or leading Saul and Barnabas on what direction to take. We can be sure that when the Lord speaks and gives direction, he will lead us during our journey. We do not have to flounder around on our own, wandering through life making our own path. When the Lord calls for a task, to be a part of the body of Christ, then he will also lead us, make straight our path, and be the light who shows us the way. We only need to trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, just trust and obey. Saul and Barnabas set out on a most excellent adventure, as they followed the Spirit. We would do well, to heed the voice of the Spirit, and do that which he speaks into our hearts. In doing so, we will be living the best that we can be, and we will be blessed by our Lord. Whenever, and whatever the Spirit speaks into our lives, we must always be listening, way more than we spend talking in prayer. If they were all talking, praying on and on about this need or that want, feeling the need to avoid silence, then they would have never heard the Holy Spirit, for being who he is, he would not interrupt. But because they waited in silence, listening for the Spirit to speak, he did.