In 1 Kings 20, God is going to use a prophet to speak to the King of Israel. First though, the prophet has a plan to look like he’s been injured in battle, so he can get the king’s attention and trap him with his own words, like Nathan did after David slept with Bathsheba then had her husband murdered.

So the prophet tells his companion to hit him with a weapon to inflict an injury. As most good companions would do, he declines. Turns out he should have hit him, but who knew? The prophet tells him that as soon as he leaves him, he’ll be killed by a lion for not hitting him. Sure enough, it happens. Fortunately, the next guy he asks hits him. Maybe he saw what happened to the first guy.

God is serious about communicating with us, but to communicate, He first needs our attention. If you’re like me, it’s easy to not really give my full attention to God or anyone for that matter. How about you?

If you can be in a meeting with someone and still text message, then you’re not giving your full attention to the meeting. If you talk on the phone while driving, then you’re not giving your full attention to driving your car…and the rest of us can tell. If you can keep your eyes on your computer screen, TV screen or cell phone screen, then you’re only pretending to give your attention to your spouse or child or whomever.

We’re pretty good at only pretending to pay attention. God’s not into pretend though.

Well, the prophet does get the king’s attention by faking to be a soldier with an injury he asked for. How does God get your attention?

I’d like to think I’m always attentive to what God is saying, but I don’t think I am. I’m much more likely to listen when something’s wrong, when my comfort is somehow upset. Might be different for you, but I suspect there are a few ways we may have in common.

Financial difficulty. Could come from a job loss, an unexpected repair bill, a bad investment, a low commission check, the loss of a key customer or any number of ways. Maybe He wants us to know we’re not being generous. Maybe it’s something totally unrelated to money. I do remember years ago reducing the amount I gave one particular week only to have a car issue require that same amount of money. It’s kind of like God was saying, “If you’re not going to give it, then I’m going to take it.”

A health issue. Might not even be something serious, but medical issues can involve tests or referrals to a specialist, which always requires a period of waiting. We don’t like to wait, do we? And yet the waiting, whether it’s a few hours, a few months or much longer, reminds us we’re not in control and God is. We can get keenly attentive when we realize we have nowhere else to turn.

A relationship conflict. Unresolved issues or conflicts with our spouse, our children, a co-worker or a friend, may be just what God is using to grab our attention, to point out something we may not see otherwise. What better way to let us know we’re being selfish than for the person who knows us best and sleeps in our bed to tell us?

How might God be trying to get your attention? What do you think He wants you to know or do?

And remember, if your companion asks you to hit him, give him a good whack. Beats the alternative.