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A Hearing Ear

by Nancy Taylor Tate

In Genesis 3:9, the Lord called out to man in redemption, “Adam, where are you?” The Lord sought a confession from Adam as the first step toward his redemption, because confession releases blessing. The Lord sought no confession from the serpent, but pronounced judgment upon him.

In the book of Revelation, the Lord is yet calling out to all those who would choose to submit their lives to Him, that they might enter into an active, on-going personal relationship with Him.

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

Here the Lord is saying, “I am knocking on the door of your heart with a desire for intimacy with you. Will you invite Me to come in so I might sup with you? There is much that I long to share with you. Are you listening? Are you willing to come apart, to spend quality time alone with Me? If you will respond, in My presence a door will open, that you might stand in the presence of My throne, where you will experience My glory. But first, you must open the door for Me to come into your life in a more intimate way, in communion and fellowship with Me.”

Abraham, who is referred to in Scripture as “the friend of God,” is an example of this principle and its outworking. In the heat of the day, as Abraham sat in the door of his tent, the Lord suddenly appeared. Abraham ran to meet the Lord and immediately began to minister to Him.

Abraham could have been preoccupied with the needs in his own life. He was old in age and had been promised a son, but there was no evidence of this promise being fulfilled. Yet, when the Lord appeared, Abraham did not mention himself or his hopes and dreams. Rather, his entire attention was directed toward fulfilling the need of the Lord at that particular moment.

It was with this man that the Lord shared his heart: “Should not I tell Abraham that which I am about to do?” Thus, the Lord was able to use Abraham in intercession, that the righteous might be brought out of Sodom before judgment fell.

As a result of Abraham’s intercession, the intervention of the Lord in that city was so powerful that an angel literally took Lot by the hand and brought him out, when he would have lingered. The Lord remembered Abraham, and therefore was merciful.

Today, the Lord is looking for those with whom He might share His heart. He is seeking for those who will give themselves wholly to that which He is doing.

As we give ourselves totally to the Lord and to those things that are on His heart, the Lord will take care of all that concerns us, for the Lord loves those who love Him.

“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” Proverbs 8:17

Abraham did not have to ask the Lord again about his promised son. As Abraham put the Lord first in his life, the Lord, on His own initiative and in the fullness of His timing, fulfilled His promise to Abraham and gave him his promised son.

In the same way today, the Lord is knocking on the door of all those who have submitted their lives to Him. He is seeking out those who have a listening ear and who desire to come higher in vision and purpose.

Yet many within the Church have become busy and satisfied with other things. There is a lack of intimacy of relationship which would cause them to actively look in expectancy for the presence of the Lord and the deep inner workings of the Holy Spirit in their lives. This has resulted in a dullness of hearing the voice of the Lord. They are satisfied with being saved, without a desire for more.

Paul cried out, “that I might know Him.” He expressed his heart’s desire to be made conformable to the Lord’s death, that he might live with Him in resurrection life and power. As a result, Paul not only saw things unspeakable, but experienced this power in his own life and ministry, as he was enabled by the Lord to live an overcoming life and experience “the fellowship of His sufferings.”

Today, the Lord is yet calling and knocking. He not only is calling out in redemption to the Lost, but He also is knocking on the door of all those within the Church, that they might respond and come to know Him in a deeper way, not just as an acquaintance or a friend, or even a good friend, but as an intimate friend knows his friend, so the Lord would have us come to know Him. He is seeking out all those who have a burning desire to know Him, that He might make Himself known to them in greater ways.

May we be found among those who are “listening to His knock” and opening the door that will take us beyond all that we are presently involved in, into greater times of fellowship with the Lord.

Wherever you may be at this present moment, even in the heat of the day, the Lord is knocking on the door of your heart, that you might respond to His desire to more fully make Himself known to you.