Loosen up already! A gentle nudge, A passing thought, a whisper in my ear – “Speak to that person, send a message, make a call, do something for Me. Be My messenger.”

God’s voice is famously described in 1Kings as “a still small voice”. When someone whispers it often requires us to twist our neck and lean in to hear them. We want to hear what they are saying, so we make an effort to draw as close as we can. People who are skilled at public speaking use this method of quieting their voice before making a point so the audience will draw closer and then be truly listening when the major point is delivered.

We find in Jeremiah 17:23 Jeremiah declaring, “But they did not obey nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction.” Later on in Jeremiah 19:14&15 Jeremiah “said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring on this city and on all her towns all the doom that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their necks that they might not hear My words.’”

The original Hebrew translated into “stiff neck” seems to indicate Jeremiah is talking about “stiff necked persons acting stiff necked” or “obstinate people acting particularly difficult.” What are the people doing? They were not inclining their ear to hear the Lord’s instruction. They are unwilling to twist their neck and lean in to hear God’s voice. How often do I do that? I’m already a difficult person wanting to do what I want to do. Jesus is speaking, but I won’t lean over to come close to hear his whisper.

In Matthew 5:19 it says – Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. And then further in verse 30 He says, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

Jesus repeatedly encouraged “those who have ears to hear, listen!” Jesus always deferred His will to the Father’s will. In that way, He could more clearly hear and see the things the Father desired to show and say.

So, I pray, “Thank you Father for loving me even as I willfully ignore your voice and go about seeking my own will. But, on this day, I will limber up my neck and twist it to lean in and hear your voice to guide me and direct me to follow your will. And may I discover what Job describes in Job 26:14 – “Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

Loosen Up Already!