Heard But Not Listened
Our grandson is somewhere between toddler and small boy and I love him and really look forward to spending time with him. Apart from being lively, endearing and very good looking, he is great fun. When he says "I love you Grandad" it melts my heart. Then he'll say "Play with me Grandad?" That usually entails him coming up behind me and jumping on me from a great height, as I feign surprise. My muscles make me think I am getting a bit too old for this sort of thing?
On the other hand, there are times when he can be most exasperating. He gets so focussed on what he wants and what he is doing at that particular moment, that nothing else matters. He is not interested in anything else, no matter how important or vital. For his own good I try to reason with him, but to no avail. I try tactics to divert him away from his course of self destruction. It works sometimes, but often he will have none of it. Only the other week I told him to put his shoes on before going outside, but no, he knew better. Within minutes he was back crying with a bleeding toe! It's not a question that he's not heard me. He just does not want to listen!
Even though I am a great deal older, some of this sounds very familiar to me. Am I really open to listen and take notice of what my heavenly Father tells me? There was a time, not so long ago, when I was so wrapped up in the Christian work I was doing, that I ignored the longings of my own heart and so was not open to what God was saying about it. What I was involved in was good, others agreed, but it was not right for me and if I hadn't been given the grace to listen, I'm not sure where I would have ended up. I was hearing, but assumed those words were not for me.
Far more than a loving earthly father - or grandfather - Jesus has our very best interests at heart. God is always speaking and will use whatever means are just right for us. It's more a question of us wanting to know, being open to Him and taking time to listen. When we take notice and take on board what He is saying to us we prosper and flourish.
Oxford Dictionary definitions:
hear = to perceive sound with the ear
listen = attentively hear a person speaking, give attention with the ear, take notice of, to respond to advice or request.
"If my people would but listen to me -- you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you." Psalm 81New International Version
On the other hand, there are times when he can be most exasperating. He gets so focussed on what he wants and what he is doing at that particular moment, that nothing else matters. He is not interested in anything else, no matter how important or vital. For his own good I try to reason with him, but to no avail. I try tactics to divert him away from his course of self destruction. It works sometimes, but often he will have none of it. Only the other week I told him to put his shoes on before going outside, but no, he knew better. Within minutes he was back crying with a bleeding toe! It's not a question that he's not heard me. He just does not want to listen!
Even though I am a great deal older, some of this sounds very familiar to me. Am I really open to listen and take notice of what my heavenly Father tells me? There was a time, not so long ago, when I was so wrapped up in the Christian work I was doing, that I ignored the longings of my own heart and so was not open to what God was saying about it. What I was involved in was good, others agreed, but it was not right for me and if I hadn't been given the grace to listen, I'm not sure where I would have ended up. I was hearing, but assumed those words were not for me.
Far more than a loving earthly father - or grandfather - Jesus has our very best interests at heart. God is always speaking and will use whatever means are just right for us. It's more a question of us wanting to know, being open to Him and taking time to listen. When we take notice and take on board what He is saying to us we prosper and flourish.
Oxford Dictionary definitions:
hear = to perceive sound with the ear
listen = attentively hear a person speaking, give attention with the ear, take notice of, to respond to advice or request.
"If my people would but listen to me -- you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you." Psalm 81New International Version
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