Listen to God

Maybe you remember that old hymn, “Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee / Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise.” In practice, that dedication to God is quite difficult.

In 2013, I (Anne-Minke Hakvoort) went to Rwanda for the first time. I met the mother I was sponsoring there, and this meeting made an unforgettable impression. She told me that she had wanted to end her life until she heard that a sponsor had been found for her. That gave her the hope she needed to keep on living. There was a God who saw her, who cared about her! And I felt incredibly surprised that God had chosen me to play such a special role in her life and that of her still unborn child. For me, this was a turning point in my life. I promised God to dedicate my life to injustice and poverty, near and far.

But how do I start being active for God? How does my life become a life of commitment to God? First of all, by listening to God. Whenever you read the Bible, God speaks to you. You get to listen to Him and answer Him. You read Who He is and how He wants to be served. “Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your flesh and blood?” it says in Isaiah 58:7 (NIV).

God invites you to get into action, dedicate yourself to Him, and age in His Kingdom. Be still today and listen to Isaiah 58:7-11. What moves you in these words?