From Water My Soul...
Plugged Ears
James 1:22; 1 Peter 3:8-12
When Alisha wants to be deliberately annoying to either of her brothers, she sticks her fingers in her ears when they're talking to her. Not only will she plug her ears, but she will also move around and talk loudly. Anything to be sure she doesn't hear what they're saying. It's guaranteed to really irritate them.
The children of Israel, in their forty-year jaunt through the wilderness, experienced plugged ears way too often. Hearing or reading an account of their journey always amazes me. How could they be so blind, not to mention deaf and ungrateful?
But when I stop focusing on the children of Israel and turn my attention to modern day people, myself included, I can see that we're no different. This is our jaunt through life, and quite a lot of us have our ears plugged too.
Perhaps we don't literally stick our fingers into them, but our ears are shut all too often just the same. They don't hear what God is saying to us. Or if they hear the words, the message doesn't move from the ear canal to the heart.
In the Gospels, I find that eight times Jesus instructs his followers by saying, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35). Eight times he told us to listen to what he is saying, to hear his words, and take them into our hearts and live them.
Because hearing the word is only the beginning. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22). Having our ears plugged means our hearts are plugged too. If a heart is full of sin and uncleanness, that can be the reason the ears refuse to hear - or to comprehend what they are hearing.
If we continue to refuse to hear, what happens?
Whan Alisha plugs her ears and keeps them plugged long enough, Cody and Matthan give up and leave her alone. It's no fun talking to someone who refuses to listen.
God will eventually do the same if we turn a deaf ear to his call and his invitations and his pleadings. A day will come when his voice becomes fainter, and soon we won't hear it at all anymore, even with our ears unplugged. Then we won't be able to hear because God will have stopped calling.
But it doesn't have to be that way. We can listen to his voice and begin to respond. Each small step toward him will make the next words a little easier to hear, comprehend, and understand.
As long as we want to hear, want to know what he has to say, God will keep speaking to our heart and conscience. But he does let us decide whether to unplug our ears.
Prayer: Remind me of the ways you are speaking to me today, Lord. Help me to listen with my heart as well as my ears.
From Be Still and Know...
"Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness" (Psalm 143:10).
David was a man who lived in close companionship with God. God was very real to him. In the first part of Psalm 143 he brings his needs to God. He prays, "Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications" (v.1). "Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth" (v.7).
David began his day with God, asking God to speak to him, "Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning" (v.8). How eagerly he must have come into God's presence each morning to hear God's Word for him for that day. He had learned not to do all the talking. He said, "Cause me to HEAR." Do we take time each day to hear Him speak to us? Is our daily prayer, "Cause ME to hear?"
Then he asked God to guide his steps in the way he should go. "Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee" (v.8). There must be coordination between our ears and our feet. Not only should our ears be tuned to hear Him, but our feet should be obedient to follow His directions.
David's difficult experiences brought him to the place of complete dependence upon God. Not only did he pray to know God's will, but that he might walk in it. "Teach me to DO thy will; for thou art my God..." He asked God not only to be his Teacher, but to be is Guide. "Lead me."
Because his confidence was in God, because he had assurance of knowing, "Thou art MY GOD," he could trust God to teach him and lead him in His ways.
Is our request for God today, "TEACH ME - LEAD ME"? We should not only ask God to teach us to do His will, but also to lead us in conformity to it. It is more than KNOWING God's will; it is WALKING in obedience to His will.
Martin Luther said, "I may not know the way, but well do I know my Guide on the way."
From Behold the Lilies...
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." - Philippians 4:8
If these things pervade our thinking, we have enough to keep our minds occupied all day long. We do not have the desire or time to think evil, negative thoughts that defile us.
"What thinkest thou?" (Matthew 22:17). It is good to stop and ponder this question and evaluate your thoughts. Are your thoughts encouraging, upbuilding, and positive? Or are they shallow, negative, and discontent? You probably think all the time. Do you dwell on God's faithfulness, considering the great things He has done for you? Do you consider the handiwork of God in nature and stand in reverence and awe before Him? Do you ponder the path of your feet to see if you are going the direction God wants you to go? Do you meditate and feed upon God's Word? Do you encourage yourself to think thoughts of faith? When you feel discouraged, does your mind turn to Jesus? Our minds should often turn to the One who created us and sustains us. When we are filled with Him, we will naturally consider one another.
Your thought patterns determine the kind of person you are. "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). Are your thoughts continually gloomy and negative, or are they beautiful, loving and godly?
