Devotional and Discussion Thought of the Day:

¹⁷  But it is in that way faith comes, from hearing, and that means hearing the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 (NJB)

²⁴  Some of them were convinced by his words, but others would not believe. ²⁵  So they left, disagreeing among themselves, after Paul had said this one thing: “How well the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Isaiah to your ancestors! ²⁶  For he said, ‘Go and say to this people: You will listen and listen, but not understand; you will look and look, but not see, ²⁷  because this people’s minds are dull, and they have stopped up their ears and closed their eyes. Otherwise, their eyes would see, their ears would hear, their minds would understand, and they would turn to me, says God, and I would heal them.’ “ ²⁸  And Paul concluded: “You are to know, then, that God’s message of salvation has been sent to the Gentiles. They will listen!” Acts 28:24-28 (TEV)

123      Meus es tu—you are mine, the Lord has declared to you. To think that God, who is all beauty and all wisdom, all splendour and all goodness, should say to you that you are his…! and then, after all this, you can’t bring yourself to respond to him!

His name is Paul, but most people in the USA who would quickly recognize his voice, have no idea of who he is, or what he does outside of five words.

But say those five words, and they will picture him, his glasses, his short hair cut, the blue jumpsuit and the arm which is glued to a cell phone, which is glued to his ear.

He is always asking, “Can you hear me now?”  Over and over and over again.

But he isn’t the only one.

The quote from Acts above is replicated in the gospels, it is retold in Paul’s writings, and some would say it originates in the Isaiah.  But the first people to hear it, dwelt in a garden, and daily, physically, walked with God.   Can you hear me know Adam?  Eve, are you listening?

They weren’t.  The people of God in the time of Moses didn’t hear Him that well, in fact, they asked not to hear Him, for to hear God is a scary, intimidating thing.  We are afraid of what we will hear. We are afraid of what he says, and like children or teenagers, we become good at hearing what God tells us, is beloved children.  We busy ourselves with things, some of which we believe will earn His favor, but which simply exist to keep us from listening from being still and knowing that He is God.

We hear Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress” and want to make it the anthem of a church at war with evil in the world, rather than the cry of one who is broken, abused, neglected and oppressed, who finds rest and sanctuary in Christ.  ( Remember, Luther writes that based on Psalm 46, not Revelation)

Will we listen when Jesus calls us to His side, to unite with Him in death, to come to Him because we are weary and burdened, so we can find rest and healing?  Will we listen to the Holy Spirit, not described as a Warrior General, as a spiritual Chuck Norris/Bruce Lee/Yoda, but as the Comforter and Consoler. Will we listen to a God who attributes are love and mercy? (cHesed, Ellios, agape)

Will we listen and hear, and let the word of Christ dwell in us,

Or will we claim there was a bad connection, that the email was lost, that we didn’t get the Lord’s message, or understand His desire?

Will we here Him say,

¹   “Do not be afraid—I will save you. I have called you by name—you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 (TEV)

Hear Him, dear people of God… and live!

(1)   Escriva, Josemaria (2011-01-31). The Forge (Kindle Locations 635-638). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.