What did you say?
Luke 8:10
“And He said, ‘Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.’”
Many of you have heard me mention a colorful old judge I worked for when I was a Juvenile Probation Officer. Ben Riordan had more stories and anecdotes than about anyone I ever met -- before or since.
He delighted in telling the tale of two deaf men who appeared before a deaf judge. The plaintiff charged that the defendant owed him $100. The defendant (not hearing) objected that he didn’t even own a dog so how could it have bitten the plaintiff. The equally deaf judge looked over the bench and called both men close. “It looks like you two boys could get together and support your poor old mother. Case closed!”
Sometimes I think that we are very much like that story. We are so busy trying to justify ourselves that we fail to listen. First of all, we fail to listen to those around us, but much more important -- we fail to listen to God.
It is sad that we shut our ears to the very things that we should be listening to. God makes every effort to speak to us but we fill our life with such clutter and confusion that His voice goes unheard.
I cannot begin to count the marital counseling sessions I have had to deal with where one or both of the partners would not keep silent long enough to hear what the other was saying. I have resorted to requiring the offender to not say one single word or I will end the session. Sometimes, when they are made to be silent, they act totally shocked by what the other partner said. Some have even said, “Well why didn’t you tell me before this?!” RIGHT!
I recall a young professional man who signed up for one of our Bible classes. The class format was to pass out question sheets for each member to answer before the next class. This young man was in a class being taught by his manager. As he attempted to answer the questions, he could not find an answer to any of them. He was amused and could hardly wait for the class to start to see how his manager would react to this oversight.
To his shock, every question had been answered by other class members. He was confused as to why he, a college graduate, could not answer questions that the other members had answered?
I think it was about three weeks later that this young man went into his manager’s office and expressed an emptiness he felt. He said it was like something inside of him was missing. That very day Ed led him to the Lord and the void was filled.
Do you have ears to hear? You may be a born again child of God, but do you have the spiritual ears to hear as God speaks to you? How do we communicate with God? Read Matthew 6:6, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Pastor Cecil A. Thompson
Luke 8:10
“And He said, ‘Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.’”
Many of you have heard me mention a colorful old judge I worked for when I was a Juvenile Probation Officer. Ben Riordan had more stories and anecdotes than about anyone I ever met -- before or since.
He delighted in telling the tale of two deaf men who appeared before a deaf judge. The plaintiff charged that the defendant owed him $100. The defendant (not hearing) objected that he didn’t even own a dog so how could it have bitten the plaintiff. The equally deaf judge looked over the bench and called both men close. “It looks like you two boys could get together and support your poor old mother. Case closed!”
Sometimes I think that we are very much like that story. We are so busy trying to justify ourselves that we fail to listen. First of all, we fail to listen to those around us, but much more important -- we fail to listen to God.
It is sad that we shut our ears to the very things that we should be listening to. God makes every effort to speak to us but we fill our life with such clutter and confusion that His voice goes unheard.
I cannot begin to count the marital counseling sessions I have had to deal with where one or both of the partners would not keep silent long enough to hear what the other was saying. I have resorted to requiring the offender to not say one single word or I will end the session. Sometimes, when they are made to be silent, they act totally shocked by what the other partner said. Some have even said, “Well why didn’t you tell me before this?!” RIGHT!
I recall a young professional man who signed up for one of our Bible classes. The class format was to pass out question sheets for each member to answer before the next class. This young man was in a class being taught by his manager. As he attempted to answer the questions, he could not find an answer to any of them. He was amused and could hardly wait for the class to start to see how his manager would react to this oversight.
To his shock, every question had been answered by other class members. He was confused as to why he, a college graduate, could not answer questions that the other members had answered?
I think it was about three weeks later that this young man went into his manager’s office and expressed an emptiness he felt. He said it was like something inside of him was missing. That very day Ed led him to the Lord and the void was filled.
Do you have ears to hear? You may be a born again child of God, but do you have the spiritual ears to hear as God speaks to you? How do we communicate with God? Read Matthew 6:6, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Pastor Cecil A. Thompson
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