“Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.” ” (Luke 8:18, NIV)
It is important that we learn to listen well. It is very important that we learn to listen well to the Lord.
There are levels of listening. Sometimes we are spoken too and we don’t even realize or hear what was said. This was the case with the crowds who heard the voice of God. “Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. ” (John 12:28–30, NIV) Those who said it thundered, heard something, but did not really hear. Sometimes we hear, but we don’t comprehend. We don’t understand what the meaning is of what we heard. That is the case of those who said the angel spoke. When we actually do hear what was said, we then can choose how to respond. Sometimes we hear, we understand, but we fail to apply. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ” (James 1:22, NIV) When that happens, we are lying to ourselves and live a lie.
Making this practical. Sometimes we go to church and because it is routine we don’t really pay attention. We fail to hear. We cannot even tell someone what the Pastor said. We have lost all benefit from spending time hearing. Sometimes we attend church, but we don’t like what the Pastor says, so we condemn the messenger and we still have not heard. We failed to understand that God speaks and uses people to communicate His heart. Sometimes, we hear the Word and we believe that we heard God, but we don’t want to obey because change is difficult.
For example, the Word speaks of forgiving our enemies. If we really hear, we will feel conviction in our hearts when there is strife between us and another. When we truly hear, we will obey and seek out the offended brother and offer forgiveness and reconciliation.
Each time we obey the Word of God, we grow in maturity and authority. We will be given more. We will grow in favor with God and man. Each time we fail to obey, we are opening the doorway of disobedience and sin. Sin when it grows gives birth to loss, pain and death.
Choose the path of life. Hear and obey what God speaks to you today.
