Are You Listening?
I enjoy a good conversation. I like people and like to hear what others are thinking. I like to talk, too. I was asked the other day, "Are you talking to me and expecting a response, or were you just talking?" When I looked around to see if anyone else was present and gave a surprised look I heard, "Well, you do just talk sometimes, not really concerned if someone is listening or not." I thought to myself ... I guess I must enjoy hearing myself talk as much as I enjoy hearing others.
Have you ever noticed how when a quiet person (unlike me) decides to speak, everyone perks up to listen? Remember the old E.F. Hutton advertisements on financial advising: "When E.F. Hutton talks ... people listen"? I wonder if they would have foreseen this present financial crisis. I wonder if people would have listened?
There is a lot of noise, and noisy people (present company included) in this world, and it can be hard to hear the messages which we need to hear the most. The Scriptures of full of examples where Jesus Himself and others preface their remarks with words like "verily, verily: or "it has been said...", or "he who has ears to hear, let him listen...". These remarks denote that words of significance are about to be shared or have been just shared. Moses did just such a thing when he addressed the nation of Israel at the end of his life and committed them to reading and reciting the law. He goes into great detail just before he exits the scene -- unable to enter the long promised land of Canaan, due to his own inability to follow fully what God told him to do at Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin. (Deut. 32:51,52 & Num. 20:9-13) His disobedience is explained as willful neglect to "uphold my holiness among the Israelites." Through Moses, God gives instructions to Joshua and the people of Israel who will, in fact, move into the land. He holds out God's instructions and the results of what they do with what they have heard. What he is saying here is ... "You will be held responsible for this!" It isn't just a test for a grade in a class. Let's listen in for a moment.
"When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, 'Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you -- they are your life. By them you will live long in the land your are crossing the Jordan to possess'."(Deuteronomy 32:45-47)
Do you get the sense of the sincerity and the gravity of the words Moses is attempting to get across to them? Listen! This is the real deal! No, "do over's" or "please repeats" will be given! Listen, act accordingly and live. Ignore ... and pay the price!
ACTION POINT:
God is speaking very clearly to you and me through His Word daily. He is speaking through nature. He is speaking through others in our lives. Are you listening? Are we obeying? Think of what He's been trying to tell you ... and act upon it today!
Have you ever noticed how when a quiet person (unlike me) decides to speak, everyone perks up to listen? Remember the old E.F. Hutton advertisements on financial advising: "When E.F. Hutton talks ... people listen"? I wonder if they would have foreseen this present financial crisis. I wonder if people would have listened?
There is a lot of noise, and noisy people (present company included) in this world, and it can be hard to hear the messages which we need to hear the most. The Scriptures of full of examples where Jesus Himself and others preface their remarks with words like "verily, verily: or "it has been said...", or "he who has ears to hear, let him listen...". These remarks denote that words of significance are about to be shared or have been just shared. Moses did just such a thing when he addressed the nation of Israel at the end of his life and committed them to reading and reciting the law. He goes into great detail just before he exits the scene -- unable to enter the long promised land of Canaan, due to his own inability to follow fully what God told him to do at Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin. (Deut. 32:51,52 & Num. 20:9-13) His disobedience is explained as willful neglect to "uphold my holiness among the Israelites." Through Moses, God gives instructions to Joshua and the people of Israel who will, in fact, move into the land. He holds out God's instructions and the results of what they do with what they have heard. What he is saying here is ... "You will be held responsible for this!" It isn't just a test for a grade in a class. Let's listen in for a moment.
"When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, 'Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you -- they are your life. By them you will live long in the land your are crossing the Jordan to possess'."(Deuteronomy 32:45-47)
Do you get the sense of the sincerity and the gravity of the words Moses is attempting to get across to them? Listen! This is the real deal! No, "do over's" or "please repeats" will be given! Listen, act accordingly and live. Ignore ... and pay the price!
ACTION POINT:
God is speaking very clearly to you and me through His Word daily. He is speaking through nature. He is speaking through others in our lives. Are you listening? Are we obeying? Think of what He's been trying to tell you ... and act upon it today!
posted by Minute for Eternity at
3:13 PM
