Scriptural Readings: Provers 23:12, Hebrews 2:1, Hebrews 12:24-25.
What are your thoughts about misunderstanding? Have we ever thought and written about the number of reasons we disagreed? Is there ever a situation where a single word misunderstood by us led to a disaster that changed our lives?
Our ears always listen. It collaborates with what we see and what we think, giving us options. One more truth for most of us is that we only listen to what we enjoy. If we don’t like something we hear, we become childish. We come up with absurd arguments and opinions ready to defend them.
Proverbs 23:12
King James Version
V.12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
New Living Translation
V.12 Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge.
God has something to say always.
Having a relationship involves communication. Communication means a two-way street of paying attention and conversation with each other. This is exactly what was happening between God and Adam and Eve until they disobeyed Him. Every detailed part has to sink into us, leaving no space for confusion.
Hebrews 12:24-25
King James Version
V.24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
V.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven.
New Living Translation
V.24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
V.25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
Hebrews 2:1
King James Version
V.1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let [them] slip.
New Living Translation
V.1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
The only way to live a meaningful life is if we believe God wants us to do something. We must listen to what He has to say, and the only way to hear what God is saying to us is to place it at the top of our priority list.
Most of us have tried almost everything in these trying times to survive, but we are still searching for the most effective things to do. The question is why? The answer is God’s voice. We refuse to listen to Him, and instead, we continue to ignore and not to listen to Him. God created us to listen to Him. We can get in touch with Him. A thing we cannot trust because we do not want to do so. We always want to do it our way.
The next big question is, is it from our Father in Heaven? Communicating with God should never be a difficulty for us. God always listens, but most of the time, we don’t. We would rather listen to others’ advice. We give more preference to what we see and hear in the media. The proof? Watch the news. It is normal to make conclusions, but it becomes inappropriate when we make an instant judgment.
Emotions are deceiving. We cannot get over this lesson!
How about if, instead of giving instructions, God surprised us with a question of what we would appreciate Him to do? Are we ready to react to this scenario? God will never stop taking our attention.
There will always be something for us to accomplish and discover. Otherwise, we will continue to live a make-believe life in a fantasy world. Of the many things that we want to develop in our spiritual life, our listening skills might be the poorest. Our carnal body certainly restrained us, including, of course, our minds. The only way to come up with something certain is to listen to what God has to say to us. We have to listen and hear Him. We have to put into our minds that He created us in His image, having the capacity to speak to Him and listen and hear Him.
Heavenly Father, we are always led to temptation because we refuse to hear your voice. Deliverance from evil has become a regular part of our lives because we try to hear other voices than your Son our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We come and humble ourselves to your Holy presence, unto thy throne of grace that you grant us more time to listen to You. Let Your will be done and not ours.
Through Your Son Jesus, our Lord and Savior, we pray. Amen.