Listen Closely
As I get older, I’ve noticed a little “fall-off” in my hearing. I don’t hear higher pitched sounds unless they are really close. I do hear the chime of the coffee pot each morning telling me the coffee is ready. Hearing is a precious gift and I do have regrets about some of the loud music I used to listen to.
There is another type of hearing though – one that is actually quiet and often calm. It’s the hearing when the Lord speaks through His Word. It’s quiet inside my home, but I’m listening to the Lord as He speaks into my heart through His Word.
As the people rested and settled in from the wall build, the Lord spoke to them through the reading of His law that He had given Moses. Check this out….
In October, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, 1 all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey.
2 So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand. 3 He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.(Nehemiah 7:73b- 8:3 NLT)
I want to be a daily listener of the Word of God.
I want to be a daily listener of others, because the Lord can speak to me through others.
I want to turn down the noise in my world, so that I can improve my listening skills.
I believe listening like this doesn’t happen by accident – it’s intentional listening.
When I listen closely to the Word of God, I hear words of correction.
When I listen closely to the Word of God, I hear words of instruction.
When I listen closely to the Word of God, I hear words of hope and promises.
When I listen closely to the Word of God, I hear words of direction.
Word of God speak
Would you pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That you’re in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In your holiness
Word of God speak
(“Word of God Speak” by MercyMe)
Pressing On!
Dwayne