“Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” (Matthew 11:15)

Remember when you were a child, you were no doubt told with great frequency that you needed to listen.  The concept of listening at that age meant obeying.  As one grows older, it’s more about paying attention. And, yes – there is a difference. Who are what are you listening to these days? Could it be a nagging spouse or a demanding boss? When you turn on the TV or play music, who are you listening to then? Have you shut out the world with your earbuds, or are there times you just need to be silent and turn down the volume? A. A. Milne’s character Winnie the Pooh stated: “If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”  I can completely understand that claim.  Once while present at a concert of a rock band I had come to enjoy in my youth, the person with whom I was attending leaned over attempting to say something to me. I pointed to my ears which I had plugged with rolled up tissues after the performance of several songs. While the music was much the same as I had remembered, the person running the soundboard was providing a nearly deafening experience for those of us in the audience. That’s the way it frequently is in life as well, when we decide to allow one loud voice to dominate and ruin our concentration.

As we mature in our faith, we come to understand that it is important to listen with discernment. When we permit other things to get in the way of proper listening, we lack understanding.  When the Lord tried to speak through Moses to the Israelites whose spirits had been broken, “they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor” (Exodus 6:9). Later in Psalm 81:11-12, we read: “But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.” When Jesus took Peter, James and John with him to the mountain to pray, their lack of listening and focus denied them vital insight into the events that would soon occur in the life of Jesus in Jerusalem. One translation of scripture indicates that Peter had no idea what he was saying, and “While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him (Luke 9:34-35). While Peter was jabbering away, God told him He just needed to listen.

There are other times as well when we do not listen simply because we lack faith and are afraid. This is illustrated in the story of a little girl who was in bed and scared of the dark. She went into her parent’s room telling them she was afraid. Her mother said, “It’s okay sweetheart. There is nothing to be afraid of, God is in there with you.” The little girl retreated to her room. As she climbed into bed she said, “God, if you’re in here, don’t you say a word. You will scare me to death.” It is important to appreciate that God often speaks in the quietest of moments as He whispers, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). It is when we fail to listen to Him that fear will open the door, and we give place to the devil to do his destructive work. Sin can deafen the ears of any child of God, however young or old. When you are on a course of life and not listening to God, you are setting yourself up for one tumultuous ride.

Fear has a voice and faith has a voice . . . we must choose to listen to the right one. If you are seeking God and trying to walk with Him but are not experiencing His peace, you might be listening to the wrong voice. Scripture reminds us: “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world” (1 John 4:1). Remember, our ears are tuned to whatever holds our hearts and minds.  When we ignore the nudging of the Holy Spirit or allow the world to drown out God’s Holy Word, earthly things will become more dominant in our thinking and in our feelings. After a while we will cease to pay any attention to what God is saying, because we are no longer listening to the One who cares the most (Hebrews 2:1). When we turn a deaf ear to God, we are going down a path we do not want to travel. Faith, after all, comes from hearing (Romans 10:17). But first and foremost, we must learn how to listen.

REFLECTION: Are you interested in what God has to say to you on any given day? What’s the first voice you hear in the morning? Do you set aside time each day to listen to God? When you hear God telling you do something that is in conflict with your plans, how do you handle that? In what ways might you consider refining both your listening and obeying skills when it comes to God’s voice?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., APRIL 6, 2019. COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.