while planning this lesson, i read multiple versions of this passage... the traditional niv says in mark 4:9 "he who has ears to hear, let him hear." the message puts the verse this way "are you listening? really listening?" and i fell in love with Jesus all over again in those five words...
the reason- here, Jesus shows me that He knows my heart so well... through His words to His disciples, Jesus speaks to erin! becaaaaaause erin sometimes pretends to listen... having mastered "listen with your eyes" i have somehow managed to miss "listen with your ears" or "listen with your heart"
the esv explains that listening *in this case, having ears to hear* involves surrender of pride and reliance on self... it is an act of submission... like abraham's servant placing his hand under the his master's thigh, acknowledging abraham's strength and authority. to understand the parable/to hear the parable, we have to submit to listen.
i think i have talked about the whole idea of passive and active listening before, so i won't continue to talk about which one is more worthwhile
my future profession requires me to listen... and to listen well... failure to listen to my patients in front of me could result in the largest of all consequences- death. could that not also be true of their spiritual health?
this is what i have learned, as a facilitator of healing... a teammate of the Great Physician... my job is to have a constant ear forward to both my Father's Spirit as well as my patients' concerns. i guess now is as good a time as any to work on that remapping process...
4 comments:
You are such a delight!!!...to me and to Him!
Hugs,
Kristi
Precious One,
When you were taught to "listen to me with your eyes" it was to ensure that you would hear me with your ears. Once again, "and a little child shall lead them." Good words, E. Standing amazed, mom
You are not the only one who has "mastered" pretending to listen. I am glad and sometime sad that God sees my heart. Oh, how I want a heart like His, one that He can trust.
i love how you convey truth so clearly and concisely... I hope i can learn to do that, or all my blogs will be so long no one will want to read them. i'm workin on the first one now. i love you erin, and miss you all the time.
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