During my morning devotions today, I read these words: "So, my dear friends, listen carefully; those who embrace these my ways are most blessed. Mark a life of discipline and live wisely; don't squander your precious life. Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day's work. When you find me, you find life, real life,to say nothing of GOD's good pleasure. But if you wrong me, you damage your very soul; when you reject me, you're flirting with death." (from THE MESSAGE: Pr 8:32-36)
People tend to listen at one of four levels: ignoring, pretending, selective listening, or attentive listening. As individuals, we are free to choose how, what, where, and when to listen. What would happen if we chose, as Stephen Covey suggests, a higher form of listening, empathic listening, when reading or hearing God's written word, the Bible? What if we were to listen to God with an intent to understand God's frame of reference and feelings, rather than our own? What if we listened to Him not only with our ears, but also with our eyes and our heart?
How we listen is our choice. God's word exhorts us to "Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her." (Pr 8:10-11, NIV)
People tend to listen at one of four levels: ignoring, pretending, selective listening, or attentive listening. As individuals, we are free to choose how, what, where, and when to listen. What would happen if we chose, as Stephen Covey suggests, a higher form of listening, empathic listening, when reading or hearing God's written word, the Bible? What if we were to listen to God with an intent to understand God's frame of reference and feelings, rather than our own? What if we listened to Him not only with our ears, but also with our eyes and our heart?
How we listen is our choice. God's word exhorts us to "Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her." (Pr 8:10-11, NIV)
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