Do We Hear?

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the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" —Luke 24:32

Today's reading: 2 SAMUEL 19-20 LUKE 18:1-23

Do We Hear?

When God speaks, are we listening? If we are listening, do we hear? In today's New Testament reading in Luke 18 we hear Jesus tell a parable of two men in the synagogue in prayer, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Jesus told us this:

11 ...the Pharisee stands up and prays this prayer in honor of himself: “God, how I thank You that I am not on the same level as other people—crooks, cheaters, the sexually immoral—like this tax collector over here. 12 Just look at me! I fast not once but twice a week, and I faithfully pay my tithes on every penny of income.”

I have never heard anyone do this but does that mean it never happens in the minds of those who pray? Are any of us the least bit thankful that we are not as 'low' as others?

Has this thought never crossed any of our minds?

Can we stand the truth? The truth is that many of us are glad we are not where some are. But Jesus was trying to show us how pride in our spiritual life is such a big stumbling block. Pride in the mind of the nominal believer is the definition of a nominal believer.

Step back and look at yourself as I look at me. Have we reached the goal? Are we there yet? Have we reached the heights that God wants for us in His kingdom? How far do we have to go?

We are all nominal believers. This is one reason God does not want us to judge. Who are we that we think we could judge anyone?

Neither do we have the right to beat ourselves up over it. Jesus went on to give us the words of the tax collector in prayer:

13 Over in the corner, the tax collector begins to pray, but he won’t even lift his eyes to heaven. He pounds on his chest in sorrow and says, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

Yes, the man did pound on his chest, but at the same time he humbled himself before God, confessed, and went home 'justified' or clean.

Are we listening to Him-to God- or are we listening to our own ego? Can we hear what God is saying to us or is our judgement of someone else or many others keeping His voice out?

Meditating on the Holy person of God shows us real humility. That is one reason that meditation on God and His word is so very important. In God's presence, we learn God's own humility and and He teaches us how to walk in that humility before the world. He teaches us to let go of judgement of others and shows us more and more how to 'long-suffer' the weaker as He 'long-suffers' us. God puts up with so much of our own sin. How, when we are really hearing His voice on this reality-can we be so brazen as to judge and not bear the shortcomings of others?

When we see someone in sin, our hearts should cry out, "Father have mercy on me a sinner"-and from that humility pray for that person to hear God speak to them and that they experience His love and forgiveness.

Again, don't beat yourself up-confess and get up and move at His leading.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Have mercy on me, Great God, and let me love the way You do.

Merciful and mighty master!

In the name of Jesus,

Amen