“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life,” John 5:24, NIV.
Have you noticed how loud the world is lately? Have you heard its cries?
As I sit writing, there’s a crowd of people screaming at 6:30 in the morning! Obviously, they’re protesting something our local hospital has done or not done—but at 6:30? Regardless of what the hospital is being accused of, I’d side with them—at least at 6:30 in the morning!
Am I able to hear God’s voice over the protestor’s “clanging cymbals?” It’s an example of the relentless noise the world throws at me, and it is a distraction. Yet, it can be shut out. I just need to be intentional about “closing the door.”
But why do I put effort into trying to be intentional about hearing God? Wouldn’t it be easier just to listen to the noise of our world: its protests, the lies, the news, the arguments, the pain and suffering? Isn’t easier better?
Because learning how to hear God’s Word is a matter of life and death, literally, eternal life verse eternal death. We have been saved from the noise of the world—the lies that lead to eternal separation from God. We have a better voice to listen to, the life affirming Word of God. What we need to learn is how to shut the door to the world’s noise, while opening a window to hear God’s truth. It’s tenacious work with which we need to be consistent.
We have not just crossed the street, but we have crossed over to the kingdom of righteousness itself! We are now part of God the Father’s kingdom! It’s worth every bit of effort to “hear His Word."
Is the noise of the world crashing in around you? Are you having a difficult time hearing God’s Word?
What do you need to do to filter? How do you turn distractions into white noise?
Father,
There are times we need You to yell over the noise until our ears have been trained to hear Your tender voice.
Help us Father, to stay in tune to the path of righteousness for Your name's sake. Help us to be tenacious with the time allotted to us for Your glory. Help us to fight the good fight while being able to hear Your instructions. Help us learn how to speak to this generation in a way they will comprehend—because we heard from You first. We know it’s not by being louder, but by loving them more—Your way. Help us to hear You in order to do this well.
We have crossed over and know Your way to life. We need to be able to hear You in order to accomplish that which You have asked of us today. Please give us Your ears to hear and to accept the responsibility that comes with hearing Your Word. To obey.
Amen.
Commenti