HEEDING THE VOICE OF THE LORD

What does it mean to heed? Heeding as defined by Webster is to pay attention, give consideration or to mind. There are times when the Lord will speak to us via the Holy Spirit and through the scriptures to pay attention, listen and believe that which He has spoken to us in our heart, mind and spirit. Even if it seems unbelievable or out of reach, with God all things are possible (Matt 19:26)!
Abraham was promised a son to be born from his wife Sarah's womb. God spoke something unbelievable to Abraham, because he and his wife were well advanced in age. Yet, Abraham believed and God counted him as righteous because of his faith (Gen 15:6). On the other hand, Abraham's wife, Sarah, lacked faith because she trusted more in human circumstance than heeding the voice of the Lord. It caused Sarah great grief from her servant Hagar, whom she gave to Abraham to bear a child for her (Gen 16:1-3). Sarah also ended up mocking the Sovereignty of God, by laughing to herself about being able to bear a child in her old age (Gen 18:13-14).
Genesis 19 tells the story of Lot's hesitation to heed the voice of the angels when they instructed him to get his family out of Sodom, for the Lord was going to destroy the city completely. It appears to me that Lot hesitated from disbelief and/or fear, even though the angels were urgent in telling Lot to get his family out of the city. In this passage we also see the mercy of the Lord. Lot didn't move quickly, but the angels seized his hands and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety. In the end, Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt because she did not heed the voice of the angels to not look back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by the hand of the Lord.
I can empathize and sympathize with Sarah and Lot. There have been times in my walk with the Lord that He has spoken something to me in prayer, visions and through the reading of His Holy Word that seemed impossible. Due to not heeding His voice I experienced hurt, catastrophes and missed out on truly being able to give God Glory about His promises to me that came to pass. I have also experienced the Lord's mercy in moving me in the right direction, even when I've said in my heart like Sarah, "No Way That's Going to Happen!"
Heeding the voice of the Lord can be challenging at times, but if one practices it gets easier and will cause a believer to grow in faith and closeness with the Messiah. The Christian life is truly blessed, because we understand who's in control and can testify to the Awesome Power of God.