Ecclesiastes 5:1

  The wisest man in history, King Solomon, who penned The Proverbs was also used of the Holy Spirit to give us the Book of Ecclesiastes. Here he gives us wise counsel. Solomon advises us to approach the Father with thought and reverence and particularly he counsels us to approach the God of the universe for the purpose of listening to Him.

  As I ponder this, I am mindful of the countless  times I have approached Father God to pour out my grief, pain, and anxiety over and over again. There have been many situations in my life that so captivated me with anxiety, fear, and hopelessness that all I could do was to talk to my Father about it before I went to bed and first thing in the morning, too. Thankfully, He is the God of our situations! And … He gives us leeway ro ” … pour out your heart before Him” (Psalm 62:8). 

  But, there is another key activity  in our relationship with the Lord. Irbis vitally important to approach Him with our Bible, a  pen and paper in hand for the purpose of listening to Him. God still speaks. He speaks to us through His Word; through His Spirit and a still small voice in our inner man, bringing thoughts to mind; through the Church [other believers]; and through our circumstances. So, it is vital that we draw near not only to talk with Him, but also to listen to Him.

  He knows what we have need of before we ask (Matthew 6:5-8). He is Almighty God and He knows exactly what needs ro be done in our life and our situations. Charles Stanley wrote, “Get on your knees before Him in prayer, open His Word, give Him ample time to speak to you, and agree with what He says. Keep seeking Him and don’t lose heart. Certainly the Lord will guide you, give you the wisdom you need, and lead you to overcome all you”re facing.

[Charles Stanley: “Jesus, Our Perfect Hope,” p. 55].