Above the Noise - Encouragement Café - November 10, 2015

Above the Noise

Café Menu for Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Today’s Special is:  Listen Up

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Paris Renae

Main Ingredient:

My son, pay attention to what I say, listen closely to my words.

Proverbs 4:20 NIV

Entrée:

Distraction – satan’s great ploy to move us from listening to being absorbed in anything other than hearing our Sustainer.

Just the other day a dear friend called and because I was right at the end of what I was working on, I really wasn’t paying attention to the beginning of the call.  When she asked me a question, I realized I had missed what she was calling about… not a good feeling.

Because we can so easily multi-task these days, we’ve become terrible listeners.

As we chat on the phone, we try and finish up what we were doing online.

As we sip coffee with friends or family, we answer a text.

While we work on a project, we check social media.

(all with good intentions)

Sadly, this is true at times when I’m reading the Word.  I know I’m letting the noise of this world keep me from hearing the Voice of life, when I have to reread to understand; or even worse, I read it through without really getting it and move on as though I'm checking off my to-do list.

Numerous times the Father says in His Word,

My son, pay attention or listen carefully.

He knows us so well.  Numerous times He cautions us to lead quiet lives.

My hearing of my Jesus, and of my loved ones, is a whole lot better when I turn down the inner chatter and tune out the world chatter.  Hearing, then, is intentional.

I have to compare it to when I tell my hubby something and later he asks me a question, clearly indicating he never heard a word I said.  When I accuse him of not listening to me he says, “I heard you, it just didn’t register.”  Arrgh!

Oh, so that’s probably how my friend felt when she called and I couldn’t join the conversation, because I was lost as to what we were talking about.  So it must be how my Father feels when I let distractions keeping me from listening to Him.

So today, I think I will be intentional... no telling what I might hear.

Take Out:

Here are my action steps, maybe they will help you too:

When I answer the phone, I will walk away from what I’m doing at that moment.

When I’m sitting talking with someone, I will not pick up my phone or let other distractions take me away from really listening to them.

Most of all, when I have His Word in my lap, it will be my quiet time.  I will be intentional, tuning out all the noises.

Dessert:

Father, You know us so well.  You know we are so about self and need to be so about others and about You.  We need Your Wisdom which You give us just for the asking – wisdom to make the priority of truly being present intentional.  For You tell us “faith comes by hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17 NIV).  Don’t let us be like some who are always listening, but never hearing.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

© 2015 by Paris Renae.  All rights reserved.

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