Zephaniah 3:1–2 “Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.”
There is something deeply tragic about someone who refuses to listen when the voice calling out is one of love. In Zephaniah’s day, God’s people had drifted far from Him—not just in behavior, but in heart. They were no longer moved by His Word. He had sent prophets with urgent messages. He had warned them with judgments and wooed them with mercy. Still, they covered their ears. “She obeyed not the voice,” the Lord lamented. How often had He spoken, only to be ignored? It wasn’t that God hadn’t made Himself clear—it was that His people chose to tune Him out.
We do the same when we hear God’s Word but go on living as if nothing needs to change. Maybe it’s that sermon we brushed off, the conviction we buried, or the truth we didn’t want to confront. I recently spoke with a man who called the church asking for help. When I gently turned the conversation toward his spiritual need, he hung up. That moment has stayed with me. Not because he rejected me, but because it’s a picture of how many treat God. We call Him in crisis but hang up when He brings up the heart. But here’s the truth: refusing to listen always leads us away from life. It’s the first bend in the road toward becoming spiritually cold, even shipwrecked. God’s voice is never without purpose. It’s loving. It’s life-giving. And it’s meant to be obeyed.
Are you listening today? Are there things God has already spoken to you about that you’ve ignored? Don’t wait for a storm or a fall to tune in. His voice is a gift. Don’t refuse it.
📖 Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:1–3, 2 Peter 1:19–21, James 1:22–25, Luke 6:46–49, Matthew 7:24–27