UNDERSTANDING
Today's reading: 1 Kings 1-3

"Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself if able to govern this great nation of yours?" 1 Kings 3:9 NLT

Understanding-to hear with attention and interest with a desire to obey.

I'll confess here and now that although I ask God to speak to me, I seldom ask that when He speaks He also gives me an understanding mind.

Maybe because sometimes I want to hear Him, but I don't necessarily want to hear what He needs to say.

Or that what I'm afraid He will say will require a little more of myself than I really want to give.

Or will ask of me things I'm not ready to do.

Or He will ask me to give up a few things I'm quite comfortable continuing to hold on to.

And when I hear Him speak...and don't have that understanding mind...and my heart isn't in tune with what He says...I miss out.

I miss out on blessings.

I miss out on having the opportunity to obey my Creator.

I miss out on living the life He desires me to live.

So as of today, I want to ask that He speaks and that He gives me an understanding heart.