Listen — The One Who Speaks

Phase 2 — Two Servants

Before calling us to respond, God re-establishes who He is, the One who created, who rules, and who is still speaking. Listening begins with recognizing His voice.

Passage: Isaiah 48:12–16

“And now the Sovereign Lord and His Spirit have sent Me.” Isaiah 48:16 (NLT)

Keywords: Authority, Voice, Listening, Presence, Sending

Reflection

“Listen to Me…” It is a simple invitation, but it carries weight. Not because of the words themselves, but because of who is speaking.

“I am the First and the Last. My own hand laid the foundations of the earth…”

Before God calls for response, He reminds them of His identity. He is not one voice among many. Not an opinion to consider or a distant presence.

He is the One who formed everything. He is the One who holds everything together. He stands outside of time, and yet He speaks into this moment. And still, He says, “Listen.”

This is deeply relational. God is not shouting from a distance. He is drawing us near. “Come closer, and listen to this…”

Not to just hear, or acknowledge. But to really Listen. Because listening is more than sound. It is attention. It is trust. It is positioning ourselves to receive. And yet, how easily we can miss this and move on past.

We want direction and clarity. We want answers. But will we skip over the most important thing? Whose voice are we listening to actually?

This passage gently re-centres us. Before any instruction or correction… before the invitation… God establishes this:

I am the One speaking to you.

And then, quietly but profoundly: “The Sovereign Lord and His Spirit have sent Me.”

God is not only speaking, He is sending. Not distant guidance, but near, active, purposeful communication.

The God who created us, this world and everything in it, is the God who speaks. And the God who speaks is the God who sends.

And so the question becomes: Are we listening?

Not just hearing the words… but recognizing the voice, His voice. Not just seeking direction… but responding to the One who gives it.

Because everything that follows, the invitation, every call, and step of obedience, flows from this: We have heard Him.

There are many voices around us. Constant noise, external input. Constant distraction. And often, without realizing it, we fill every available space.

Music. Radio. Podcasts. Social. Conversations. Always something. I’ve felt this personally and at one point, I sensed a prompting to make a habit of turning the radio off in the car.

Not because it was wrong, but because it was filling space that could be given to Him. So I did. And that time became different. Open.

Time to think, to process. Time to pray. Time to simply be with God. It wasn’t complicated, but it was intentional.

Because listening doesn’t just happen, it requires space and stillness. It requires a willingness to quiet the other voices in the busyness of our lives long enough so that we can recognise His.

And maybe that is part of what this passage is inviting us into. Not just to hear… but to position ourselves to listen.

To come before Him with the same posture spoken long ago: “Here I am, Lord. Your servant is listening.”

Application - Pause and reflect:

What voices am I listening to? Have I slowed down enough to truly listen to God, or am I rushing to answers?

Take a moment today to be still. Not to ask first, but to listen.

Prayer

Father God,

You are the One who formed all things, and yet You speak personally and clearly.

Help me to slow down today and truly listen. Not just to hear words, but long enough to recognize Your voice.

Please quiet the noise around me, and the noise within me. Position my heart to receive what You are saying.

You are not distant. You are near, and You are speaking. Teach me to listen.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.