August 5th, 2025
Tuesday August 5th
Title: A Hearing Heart
By: Kristen Kitchen
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” -Psalm 27:8
When I read through the story of Samuel, I am struck by the role that the heart plays. Saul lost the kingship because of his heart. David gained the kingship because of his heart. Samuel anointed both of these men. He had a first row seat to see how their hearts impacted their ministries. In his final public words to Israel, Samuel implored the people to follow the Lord with all of their hearts.
In a story about hearing from the Lord, why does the heart matter? Consider this: Samuel understood that the state of our hearts determined whether or not we could hear the voice of the Lord.
The first time I “heard” the voice of God, it felt more like an extra heartbeat in my chest than an audible voice. I was twenty and the Lord was calling me to leave college for missions.
I opened my Bible, hit my knees in prayer, and started researching programs. Six months later, after several “extra heartbeats” from the Lord, I was trekking through the Himalayan mountains carrying copies of the Gospel on my back. I rarely knew where I was going, and I never knew who I would encounter. But I knew that God was guiding my steps. My heart could hear him and chose to obey him.
In 1 Kings 3:9, Solomon prays, “Give me a hearing heart to judge your people and discern between good and evil.”
A hearing heart is an open heart. A hearing heart is one that is willing to hear, to interpret, and to act accordingly. A hearing heart is one that is focused on the will of the Lord.
Lord, Give us hearing hearts.
Title: A Hearing Heart
By: Kristen Kitchen
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” -Psalm 27:8
When I read through the story of Samuel, I am struck by the role that the heart plays. Saul lost the kingship because of his heart. David gained the kingship because of his heart. Samuel anointed both of these men. He had a first row seat to see how their hearts impacted their ministries. In his final public words to Israel, Samuel implored the people to follow the Lord with all of their hearts.
In a story about hearing from the Lord, why does the heart matter? Consider this: Samuel understood that the state of our hearts determined whether or not we could hear the voice of the Lord.
The first time I “heard” the voice of God, it felt more like an extra heartbeat in my chest than an audible voice. I was twenty and the Lord was calling me to leave college for missions.
I opened my Bible, hit my knees in prayer, and started researching programs. Six months later, after several “extra heartbeats” from the Lord, I was trekking through the Himalayan mountains carrying copies of the Gospel on my back. I rarely knew where I was going, and I never knew who I would encounter. But I knew that God was guiding my steps. My heart could hear him and chose to obey him.
In 1 Kings 3:9, Solomon prays, “Give me a hearing heart to judge your people and discern between good and evil.”
A hearing heart is an open heart. A hearing heart is one that is willing to hear, to interpret, and to act accordingly. A hearing heart is one that is focused on the will of the Lord.
Lord, Give us hearing hearts.
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