Sep 6, 2022
What happens when we listen to God attentively? As we pray and search the scriptures, we listen for at least three things.
Christ-centered leaders listen for who God is. Scripture is God's story. It's a story of God's love for us and for all creation. The narrative arc of scripture moves us from creation to the fall to redemption and finally restoration. At each juncture, we learn more about who God is and the love of God we know in Jesus.
In scripture, we listen to God to reveal who we are in relationship with Christ. We are formed and transformed by encountering Christ’s love for us. An often quoted scripture comes from John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” This is an invitation to respond to God's love by loving others, as God has loved us. As we listen to God and respond to God's goodness and grace, we’re being shaped in the image of Jesus. When we listen to God, we respond with love. When we listen to God, we respond with generosity. When we listen to God, we respond with gratitude. When we listen to God, we recognize the journey of becoming more like Jesus is a constant response to God's goodness and presence in our midst.
So the question becomes, how is Christ's love shaping challenging and inviting you to love God and love your neighbor.
Explore these three reasons and several other scriptures at https://transformingmission.org/246.