Crucial vs important

So I was talking with another Christian one day about the importance of hearing from God.  He was taught that he could not hear directly from God, that the only way we "hear" Him is through His Word.

Yes.  Reading, knowing, and studying His Word is vital.  

But why, then, did Jesus Himself tell us that His sheep know His voice?

People, including some Christians, get nervous when we say that we can hear from God.  It sounds a bit cray cray.

I'm not talking about "voices" in your head, or your imagination.

I am referring to the still, small voice which is not audible in the way that we hear people talking, but it is like a knowing.  It comes from His Spirit who lives inside of us.  It's not even like a whisper.  It's really hard to describe it unless you've experienced it.

It's just there.  Like words in the background but very distinct and clear.

God's voice is calming.  It is usually few words, not many.  And it is always filled with love, power, and grace.  There is an authority about it.

When I told this Christian that listening to God is possible, hearing from Him, he finally acknowledged that it is important.  

I told him that it is crucial.  

Big difference.

Crucial means necessary, vital, life-or-death type of thing. Like the air we breathe - we won't live long without it.

Can you live without hearing from God?  Do you want to hear from Him?

If you're out there doing your own thing, Christian or not, then you won't want to hear from Him.  

But if you truly want to know God, know His will, stay close to Him, then you long to hear His voice speak to your heart.

It's like other relationships in that way.  If you never spoke to someone or they never spoke to you, that wouldn't be much of a relationship at all now, would it?  

Same goes in our relationship with God.  Communication is always the foundation of any good relationship.  Without it, true relationship does not exist.

So what exactly do you deem crucial to your life?  Your spiritual well-being?  

David asked one thing of the Lord: that he would dwell in His house forever.  What if the one thing we most valued and treasured were His Presence?  That is what dwelling in the house of the Lord means: intimacy with God.  Valuing His Presence more than anything.  Seeing it as crucial to living.

The bottom line is this for all of us who claim to be Christians: is our relationship with God important to us?  Or crucial?  

Is this just semantics?  No!  

Because that which we see as important can change.  One day it may seem more important than other days.  It is fickle.

But when we view something as crucial, then we see it as something that we need in order to live, to breathe, to exist.  It is a constant.  

We are on a slippery slope when we think of our connection to Christ, which must include listening to Him, as something we can do without.  

Like the air we breathe, listening to God must be crucial in our lives, lest we suffocate our spiritual lives altogether. 

Dear Lord.  Thank You a million times over that we can hear from You and know Your voice!  Because Your Holy Spirit lives inside of us, we can hear Your gentle voice speak to us.  But we must be listening!  Your voice directs, guides, warns, comforts, teaches, convicts, and leads us. You lead us into all truth.  Thank You, Lord God, for deeming us worthy of your communication!  What a privilege!  What a gift!  Help us to lean in closer to You and listen to You as our Savior, dearest and closest Friend, and Lover of our souls.  For all wisdom is found in You alone, Lord.  In Jesus' Name. Amen.