On Deaf Ears

 Jesus said, "Whoever has ears, let them hear." Matthew 11:15

    Dave and I have been married for thirty-six years, and in that time, those three little words we once said to one another have become, "Whad ya say?"

    All humor aside, there's a difference between hearing and listening. It stands to reason that our auditory senses are not as sharp as they once were, but it remains important that we listen to one another.

    Sometimes I wish I could hear God audibly, but if He did speak aloud, I am sure it would go in one ear and out the other given enough time. However, listening with spiritual ears requires me to be in step with the Spirit, discerning His language and then doing what He says. 

    Jeremiah is often referred to as The Weeping Prophet. Once around the block in his prophetic book and one easily sees why he lamented. God had given him the job of warning his people of impending doom, but when he did so, this was their response: "This man should be put to death." (Jeremiah 38:4) Rather than listen to the word and wisely "do what it says" (James 1:22), they sought to silence the messenger.

    In the same way, the Pharisees didn't like what Jesus had to say, so they "went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus." (Matthew 12:14)

    And, remember the members of the Sanhedrin who refused to hear the Word of God as spoken by Stephen? "At this, they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him." (Acts 7:57-58)

    Father in heaven, may I lament with your Son who wept over Jerusalem: "How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." (Matthew 23:37)  How frustrating it must be for you to love us so very much that you sent your Word to become flesh and make his dwelling among us, only to have us plug our ears. Forgive me for all the times I was not listening. 

    Lord, may I join Simon Peter in saying, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:68) Remind me that today is the day, "Today, if only you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." (Psalm 95:7-8) 

    How selfish I am! When I talk to you, I expect you will hear me, so then, isn't it more important that I should listen to you? Count me not among those of Jeremiah's day who found your word offensive, but, on the contrary, may I hang on your every word. Make me more like Mary, who sat at Jesus's feet and really listened. Amen.

"While he (Peter) was still speaking, a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!'" Matthew 17:5

Unexpected Blessings

 "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

    The best part about following Jesus is the delightful element of surprise He loves to use. It makes for such great stories.

    While running errands the other day, there in the parking lot next to my car I spotted a small wooden cross. Perhaps it had fallen off someone's bracelet. So, I picked it up with a smile, knowing God had elbowed me to see it. On to the next stop.

    As I pulled in, I saw an elderly man wearing a veteran's ballcap, perched on the seat of a blue walker in the hot sun. He held a scrawled sign that said: Please help me.

    Feeling God elbowing me again, I fished some money out of my purse and coupled it with the better gift: the little cross.

    My encounter with the man was only momentary, but what happened next has blessed me to tears all week.

    As I approached him, I lay my hand on his shoulder, giving him what I had. When he saw the cross, he choked back a little sob and said, "God bless you. What's your name so I can pray for you."

    Me? Of the two of us, I appeared to be more blessed than he, yet in that moment I knew he was the richer man.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7

Left Behind

 "Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come." Psalm 71:18

    When cleaning out her church's library, my sister was about to toss a plain, brown book, a slim volume rather unremarkable at first glance. But something gave her pause to open the cover where, lo and behold, she recognized our dad's handwriting! 

    Dad had gifted the book to our pastor back in 1964, which was a treasure in itself for my sister to see, but then she noticed that the author was our mother's uncle, Mr. Clarence Dame. Those of our generation had no idea he had penned a book. Now here it lay in her hands. 

    Entitled "Fathers of the Bible," he explores the role of earthly fathers as seen in the pages of Scripture. It's quite an interesting read, especially when  he mentions his own father's godly influence on the family of ten children, one of whom was our grandmother.

    Here is one precious excerpt: "A father can impress upon the minds of the children what are the real important things in life. By his conversation and by his prayers a father reveals what he thinks to be most valuable in life. My father always prayed that all the children would serve the Lord. He was much more concerned about the children's spiritual condition than about their material advantages." Clarence went on to say, "Wise indeed is the father who directs the minds and hearts of his children to God and His service, and teaches them to seek Him first." 

    Those prayers, uttered by our great-grandfather, are still reaping a harvest today. 

    In the Hall of Faith chapter, the writer speaks of Abel, who was slain by his envious brother, Cain because the former had offered a better sacrifice than the latter. Yet the Bible has this to say: "By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith, Abel still speaks, even though he is dead." (Hebrews 11:4)

    In a similar way, the words found in Clarence's book speak for him long after his death. And these are not words of little value, that are here today and gone tomorrow. No, they are like a pearl of great price with eternal benefit because they point to our Heavenly Father and the free pardon of sin through His Son, Jesus. 

    Of all the things a man can leave behind for his children, what could be more extravagant?

"Our parents left us no money but they left us something far more precious than material things - Christian principles to live and die by, and for these we thank God." - Clarence Dame

Love One Another

 "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim in the paths of the seas." Psalm 8: 3-8

    As the embers of our campfire simmered down, my husband and I prepared to do the same, calling it a day.

    Then, in the dying light of dusk, we saw a fluttery movement near the pines that piqued our curiosity. What was that? In the beam of a flashlight, we were amazed to see three small owls, a blessed epilogue to a tiring day.

    Our daughter humorously refers to me as Snow White because we've had a menagerie of critters visit our yard: A ribbon of waddling ducks, just passing through; a fatigued family of deer napping beneath the magnolia tree; a wayward turtle trying to find his way home; a groundhog dubbed Gary who scratched at our back door; a companion squirrel named Clarence Oddtail who would lope across the yard in greeting when I came home; and finally, a few slithering snakes. Now, we have added owls to that list.

    I love most animals. They fascinate, incur laughter and foster love.

    But people? They're a different animal. Oft times, they are rather self-seeking and odious, rude and outspoken, bossy, nosy or outright mean. I join the psalmist, David, when I wonder why God cares for people, taking them by the hand (Isaiah 41:13), collecting their tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8), writing their names on the palms of his hands (Isaiah 49:16) and laying down his life for them (Matthew 20:28)!

    Then I remember that I am a part of this race of odious humans and, when I get down to brass tacks, I have been self-seeking, rude, bossy and mean. I am part of the problem!

    It's much easier to love animals, maybe it's because we have been assigned as rulers over them. The assignment God has given us, as his followers, regarding people is much tougher. We are to "love one another as I have loved you." (John 13:34) Only with his divine intervention can I take someone by the hand in prayer, listen with compassion as tears roll down their cheeks, write their names on a card of encouragement or emote the sacrificial love of forgiveness and servitude. 

"Love one another as I have loved you"

May seem impossible to do.

But if you will try to trust and believe,

Great are the joys that you will receive.

For love makes us patient, understanding and kind,

As we judge with our hearts and not with our minds.

For as soon as love enters the heart's open door,

The faults we once saw are not there anymore -

And the things that seemed wrong begin to look right

When viewed in the softness of love's gentle light

For love works in ways that are wondrous and strange,

And there is nothing in life that love cannot change,

And all that God promised will someday come true

When you have loved one another the way He loved you.

-by Helen Steiner Rice