One-Sided Conversation

Have you ever tried to talk to someone who could care less if you were there or who seemed determined not to talk with you? Maybe they patiently "listened," but never actually heard one word you said. It is indeed a very frustrating experience, especially if you feel you have something important to say and they seem determined to "tune you out." You find yourself calling upon all the resources you have available to find the words that might finally penetrate that barrier and get their attention.
God is indeed faced with that problem. He speaks to us through the Bible, as we see in Heb. 1:1-2. Jesus said those who listened to the apostles were listening to Him (Luke 10:16), and promised that the Holy Spirit would guide them (the apostles) in all their teaching (John 16:13, 1 Cor. 2:13). But so many today do not want to listen to God. They are not interested in the Bible or anything it may have to say to them. God has used many avenues therein to try and arouse their attention: prophecy, the death of His Son on the cross, the recorded miracles, the lives of the apostles, the church, and the word preached. by those who paused long enough to listen and obeyed His soul-saving message. But, they are determined not to be bothered.
Others sit in church every Sunday, going through the ritual of "listening" to God, when in reality that is all that it is-a ritual. God's message is "tuned out"-except for a key expressions they want to hear. And when God listens for their response, it is not there. They have no time to talk to God. Perhaps they have "out-grown" prayer and God, or feel too "preoccupied" to be bothered. In either case, they seek to "tune God out."
But even God will not force His communications upon us. His efforts are limited to His revealed word (John 20:30-31, Rom. 1:16, 2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Pet. 1:3) and the efforts of others to tell us about it (Rom. 10:1415, Matt. 28:19-20). If we refuse to listen, eventually God will tire of trying (2 Thess. 2:11-12, Rom. 1:26ff), and turn to those more willing to hear (Matt. 7:6). The tragedy here is some will not bother to listen until it is too late (2 Thess. 1:7-8). None of us like to be snubbed, but how freely we sometimes snub God!