Keep Alert!

August 28, 2025

Keep Alert!

We want to hear the voice of God, especially when we are in a season of trouble and struggle!  When the trials and the temptations challenge in ways that bring us to the edge of giving up on commonsense and to the brink of abandoning God, we become desperate to hear the voice of God.

The challenge for many of us, including me, is we get so busy doing things that we believe are (and may be!) important or so involved in living up to other people’s expectations of us or so focused upon living into a dream that does not honor God, that we miss the moments when God is speaking to us.

The old preacher found himself running from a blood thirsty queen.  He was exhausted, afraid, and ready to quit on himself, on God’s calling, and on the Lord God. 

The old preacher wanted to hear the voice of God speak into his difficult circumstances.  He listened to the deafening sound of crumbling rock during an earthquake, he listened to the roar of out of control fire in the mountains, and he listened to the growling sound of a raging wind storm buffeting the hillside.

Sadly, the old preacher did not hear the voice of God in the earthquake, in the wind, or in the fire.  It was not until he got still and quiet that he could momentarily push to the side his troubles and struggles as well as difficult people and broken dreams.  It was not until he pushed the distractions to the side that the old preacher could pay attention to the Lord.

In I Kings 19:12, we hear that the old preacher hears the voice of the Lord God in the “…sound of sheer silence.”  Sometimes I will hear the voice of God speak to me when the earth shakes or the wind roars or the fire blazes.  That has happened to me.  But more often than not, I hear the voice of God when I get still and quiet long enough to hear the sound of God’s voice in the sheer silence.

At the end of his letter to the first century church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul offers some final comments for the Christ-followers there.  In I Corinthians 16:13-14 Paul writes; “Keep alert; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”

To “keep alert” can mean many things.  But, one of the most important things that keep alerting means is to pay attention.  Pay attention so you can hear the voice of God.  Pay attention so you can discern the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Pay attention so you can listen to where Jesus is calling you to take action.

Paying attention is how we keep alert.  The Apostle Peter knew it was important to keep alert.  The Apostle Paul knew it was important to keep alert.  And, Jesus knew it was important to keep alert.  Here are a few examples from their writings.

In I Peter 5:8 the Apostle Peter writes; “Discipline yourselves; keep alert.  Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.”

In Ephesians 6:18 the Apostle Paul writes; “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.  To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.”

In Colossians 4:2 the Apostle Paul writes; “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.”

In Mark 13:33 the Apostle Mark records the words of Jesus; “Beware, keep alert, for you do not know when the time will come.”

The Apostle Peter says that keeping alert (i.e., paying attention!) so we can hear the voice of God requires discipline.  The discipline of reading your Bible, the discipline of seeking the counsel of other Christ-followers, the discipline of regularly worshipping with other people, the discipline of serving the poor, and the discipline of being generous create an environment where we are more likely to hear the voice of God.     

The Apostle Paul says that keeping alert (i.e., paying attention!) so we can hear the voice of God requires a variety of styles of prayer.  Paul mentions praying for other people as well as praying for our self.  Prayers of praise, prayers of thanksgiving, prayers of confession, prayers seeking forgiveness, prayers for wisdom, prayers of surrender, prayers seeking the Holy Spirit, prayers filled with words, prayers filled with silence, and many other expressions of prayer are also important if we want to hear the voice of God speak into our life.   

Jesus says that keeping alert (i.e., paying attention!) so we can hear the voice of God is important because we do not know when Jesus will return.  We also do not know when Jesus will call, when Jesus will heal, when Jesus will correct, when Jesus will encourage, when Jesus will speak. 

Discipline, prayer, and seeking what we do not yet know of God are some ways in which we keep alert. 

The Holy Spirit is about to do something in you and through you…something very special! 

+Whatever it is, it is bigger than you can imagine or ask or pray (Read Ephesians 3:20-21). 

+Whatever it is, it will change your life and it will change the lives of other people. 

+Whatever it is, it will require you to keep alert, to pay attention, and to listen for the voice of God.

When you keep alert and hear the voice of God, your heart will fill with delight in the Lord God.    

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug