I don’t always hear everything that is said to me. Sometimes it’s a blessing, sometimes it’s a real difficulty.
The hearing tests that I’ve had indicate that my ability to hear high frequencies (things like watch alarms, cell phone rings, coins “clinking” together and certain spoken words and sounds) is very limited. I’ve been blessed to get hearing aids that are able to enhance just the limited frequencies that I don’t hear without magnifying and distorting those that I do hear just fine.
Still, even with the help of the aids, I don’t always hear all that I should, and if you’re one that has spoken to me and I didn’t respond, honestly, I wasn’t ignoring you, I simply didn’t hear.
I came across an incident in scripture that greatly encouraged me. It’s found in Acts 10, Peter had been praying, God was showing him some important things regarding his inclusion of Gentiles in his grand plan of redemption, and Cornelius, at God’s instruction, had sent people to Peter’s door. The message says it like this:
“As Peter, puzzled, sat there trying to figure out what it all meant, the men sent by Cornelius showed up at Simon’s front door. They called in, asking if there was a Simon, also called Peter, staying there. Peter, lost in thought, didn’t hear them, so the Spirit whispered to him, ‘Three men are knocking at the door looking for you. Get down there and go with them. Don’t ask any questions. I sent them to get you.’”
“Peter didn’t hear them, so the Holy Spirit whispered to him…” Peter had some trouble hearing the stuff going on around him at times, but he didn’t have any problem hearing the voice of the Lord whispering to him!
My heart jumped as I read this. I pray that the same would be true of me, and you… although our natural ears don’t always hear all that they should, I pray that we will ALWAYS hear ALL that the Lord whispers to us to keep is in step with his plans and purposes for our lives.
I encourage you, listen with your natural ears, and listen for his “still small voice” as he whispers to your heart, he will.
Blessings,
Louis J. Locke is founding pastor, Carson City Foursquare Church.
