Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live.
ARE YOU LISTENING?
The story's told of a nine-year-old boy who had a passion for eating apples. He even took a liking to the green apples growing on the tree in the backyard. One day his Mom offered him a piece of motherly advice: "Billy, I want you to be careful about eating too many green apples from the tree in our backyard. It could make you sick." "Okay, Mom," he said. A few days later Billy walked into the kitchen with a grimace on his face, rubbing his stomach: "Mom, I’ve got a bad tummy ache!" "Did you eat something spicy for lunch?" "No, I think I ate too many green apples from our tree." "How many did you eat?" "About ten." "Didn't we have a conversation about that the other day? Well I guess you heard what I said but you weren't listening."
Most parents can relate to this scenario. They know how their children are inclined to hear what they tell them with their ear drums but to tune them out with their hearts. It happens with grownups too. We hear what family members, our spouse, friends tell us but don't always allow it to strike home. How often do we hear words that Lord speaks to us at church in the Scripture lessons and the sermon but our minds wander off to another place. That's why Jesus, when teaching God's Word to the people (as, for example, to the crowd on the Lake Galilee shore) found it necessary to add those words: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 9:9). That is: I want you to inwardly digest the kingdom truths I have just laid on your hearts.
It's an admonition our heavenly Father gives us, His children, repeatedly throughout Scripture. Because He knows how prone we are to get distracted from the one thing needful and how short our attention spans are, He tells us: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7). "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" (Luke 11:28). "Listen carefully ... incline your ear and come to Me ... hear and your soul shall live" (Isaiah 55:2-3).
May the Holy Spirit ever bless us with such hearing ears and attentive hearts!
Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessèd hope of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
