“Oh, that today you would hear his voice: Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the desert. There your ancestors tested me; they tried me though they had seen my works.” (Psalm 95:7–9)

Over these days of retreat, we have begun to explore the foundations of listening. One essential prerequisite is our desire for an intimate relationship with God. Yesterday’s reflections reminded us that the willingness to listen is the first way we demonstrate our desire to enter into relationship with another person. If we do not yearn for intimacy, why would we invest the time and effort needed for genuine listening and communication?

Out of love, God created us through His Word. And out of the same love, He longs to nourish us with His Word. Consider the “manna” given to the Israelites in the desert: it was fresh each day, meant to be consumed that very day—never meant to be stored up for the next day. God’s faithful love has never changed; He has never been stingy in giving us what we need.

Just as He supplied manna daily for the Israelites, He now supplies for our needs. Since manna symbolizes God’s Word, we can be confident that if we listen attentively, we will receive the message God offers us anew each day.

But to listen to God’s Word, we need the right disposition and some practical skills. This retreat has invited us to cultivate desire, discipline, set-apart time, a dedicated space, and above all, trust in God. This list may seem demanding at first, but with practice it becomes more natural, helping us connect with God more easily.

You may wonder: Where do I begin? And how should I start? The answer is: Today.

Not yesterday, and not tomorrow. To nurture a healthy spiritual life, we must live in the present moment.

The Psalmist gives us a warning: the greatest obstacle to hearing God is often not His silence, but our hardened hearts.

During their forty years in the desert, the Israelites witnessed God’s mighty deeds—He parted the Red Sea, He sent manna from heaven—yet they still tested Him out of fear and unbelief.

What causes our hearts to harden? Often it is fear, past disappointments, or the accumulated habit of saying “no” to God. Perhaps we fear that God will ask us to surrender something we cherish. Perhaps we have been hurt before and have built a protective wall that lets no one in—not even God. Like the Israelites at Massah, we demand that God prove Himself first before we trust Him.

How this must grieve the One who has already given us everything!

To soften our hearts, we must believe that God’s will is for our good. Lent is a season for breaking open the hardened ground of our hearts, so that the seed of God’s Word can take root.

The manna in the wilderness was only enough for each day; in the same way, God’s grace is given for the needs of today. We do not need to be anxious about the future or worry about tomorrow’s lack—God Himself will provide!

Let us again listen attentively to the Word of God:

“Oh, that today you would hear his voice: Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the desert. There your ancestors tested me; they tried me though they had seen my works.” (Psalm 95:7–9)

Reflection

Are there areas in your life where you resist God or where your heart has grown hard toward Him? Are you waiting for Him to “prove” something before you are willing to try and obey?

Now, please take time to examine the reasons behind your distrust or hardness of heart toward God.

Are you afraid that God might say something you do not want to hear? If so, what is the root of that fear?

Today’s Prayer

I choose to believe that Your plans for me are plans of peace and not disaster—plans that give me a future and a hope.

I do not want to wait until tomorrow to listen.
Today, I refuse to let my heart be hardened.
Today, I choose to trust You. I open my heart to You.
Come in, Lord. Transform me.

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Fundraising Appeal

The following is the “Farmer of Hearts: How Not to Miss God’s Voice?” team, including FLL staff and volunteers.
Please kindly pray for them. May God protect them and sustain their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Writer: Paul Yeung
Project Managers: Michael Lam, Rosa Tse
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English and Mandarin Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: “Leyton” – Murf.AI
Mandarin Narrator: “Natalie” – Murf.AI
Audio Editors: Cyan Cheung, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editor: Cyan Cheung
Graphics: Francis Lai, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Clara Chang, Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“Long Distance” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Sea of Memory” by Aakash Gandhi https://www.youtube.com/@88keystoeuphoria