Today’s reading is Mark 4.
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
What an odd thing to say. Doesn’t everyone have ears? Yes. And No. Jesus was not distinguishing between those who could audibly hear and those who were deaf. He was actually bringing back into mind that reference He made to Isaiah 6. Some people will see, but not perceive. They will hear, but not understand. “Don’t just hear,” Jesus says. “Understand!” Don’t just let the words audibly enter your ears. Don’t just read the words on the page. Recognize they mean things. Recognize they have consequences. Recognize they should impact us and change us.
Therefore, we need to pay attention to what we hear. Literally, Jesus commands us to “See what you hear.” Even in this command He uses forms of the words in His reference to Isaiah 6: “See,” “Hear.”
Be careful how you look, be careful how you hear. Take pains with. Take care with it. Pay attention to what you are doing. Don’t be careless and reckless. Don’t think because you’ve read through some passage and had some initial thoughts you’ve figured out or understood what the teaching is.
Observe as you read Scripture and as you listen to it being taught. How much care should you take? How much observing should you do? That depends on how much you want to get out of it. The measure you use in your observation, your meditation, your rumination will be the measure you receive in your understanding. In fact, when you take pains and take care to observe and pay attention to your looking and listening to God’s Word, He will multiply the effectiveness of the work you are putting into it. He will measure back to you according to the measure you supply and will add even more.
However, if you decide a cursory listen, a once over, a quick read, a reliance on first impressions is plenty, even what you have will be taken away. That is, even the understanding you have now will be destroyed as your misunderstandings mount up and attack foundations of understanding which once were laid within you.
Jesus is the light. We don’t put Him under a basket. Rather, we lift Him and His Word up for all to see and hear. But let us be certain to listen. To listen carefully. To listen with a view to application and transformation.
In fact, when I listen but without the care and attention to understand, I won’t find forgiveness. That sounds a lot like what Jesus said about the person who committed blasphemy of the Holy Spirit back in Mark 3:28-29, doesn’t it? When I refuse to listen to the truth revealed by God, when I refuse to listen carefully, that’s when I won’t be forgiven. That is when I’m blaspheming God’s Spirit.
Listen up! Pay attention! God will be with you if you do.
Praise the Lord!
Tomorrow’s reading is Mark 4.
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PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does Mark 4 prompt or improve your trust in God?
Read the Bible 