“Whispering spots . . . [are] often as ordinary as a closet that turns into a prayer closet. The key isn’t geography; it’s consistency. If you show up, God will too.”- Mark Batterson
“Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting.”- Exodus 33:7-8 (ESV)
As Mark Batterson concludes Chapter 3 of Whispers, he posits that Moses needed a whispering spot outside the camp of Israel. He needed a quiet place to escape the Israelites incessant grumbling, complaining, and murmuring. And when Moses returned to the camp, Joshua remained in the tent of meeting. Because Joshua spent the most time with God, he knew Him best.
Therefore, Pastor Batterson explains the importance of intentional listening:
“Listening doesn’t happen by default; it happens by design. You have to go outside the camp and build a tent of meeting. You have to seek silence . . . to ruthlessly eliminate distractions. And you have to turn some voices down or tune them out.”
Furthermore, no matter what, you must be bound and determined to find a time and place for your unique whispering spot. As obvious as it may seem, meetings require a designated time and place.
However, Mark observes, solitude needs a counterbalance. Hearing the voice of God is a team sport. So, one of the best ways to hear God’s voice involves getting around people who do.
Yet, Pastor Batterson cautions, it’s a spiritual cop-out to specifically emulate your spiritual hero or heroine. As the author notes, “copy-cat spirituality is short-lived.”
Consequently, Mark repeats a formula previously shared in his other books: change of pace + change of place = change of perspective. For God to do something new, you can’t keep doing the same old thing. When you dare to be different, you listen in a new way.
Today’s question: How do you show consistency in using your whispering spots? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Having sight but no vision”
