Lend An Ear
By Paris Renae
Thursday, September 7, 2017
“I call on You, my God, for You will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.” Psalm 17:6 NIV
First grade report cards said: “Paris talks too much.” Not ‘She’s adorable’, ‘Smart’, ‘Good helper’. Having never been in a setting with so many others my age I must have thought talking was the point. My husband might say, ‘Some things haven’t changed.’
Ever notice it’s that way in your prayer time? I start off with great intentions of praising God, listening for Him in the quiet, telling Him my heart. Next thing I know I have wandered off on a conversation to myself about who knows what.
Through much trial and error I have learned to listen more than I speak. Listening is perhaps the most sought after attribute people long for in another. Hearts want to be heard.
Our God is the best Listener around - hearing our hearts when we’re on the go, when we’re drifting off to sleep, in our sincere times of deep conversation with Him. The comfort found in knowing that God is a God who hears is one of the best gifts He could give us.
In fact, one of the Hebrew names for God is: El Shama – God who hears me. Amazingly Psalm 139:4 says, “Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O Lord.” And yet, He listens, wanting intimate relationship with us.
We are made in His image – we are being transformed day by day to be more like Jesus. Oh, yes, Jesus was a faithful listener. During His time on earth He spent many hours listening to the disciples’ questions.
Just think, when those who were blind or lame came to Him, He already knew their need but He tenderly listened.
And He knew His disciples (and us) had a hard time staying attentive and not thinking about what to say next, so He spoke in ways that engaged His listeners and caught their attention.
He wanted us all to remember what He was teaching and His heart He was sharing.
Nothing has changed with Jesus. He still tenderly listens, He still teaches through the living Word of the Bible, and He still wants us to remember His heart for us. And He wants us to do the same for each other.
We can touch lives for Jesus just by lending our ears and hearing with our hearts. And we can keep from wandering in our prayer time by thinking about the Heart that is listening.
El Shama – oh thank You for hearing us. Give us the ability to listen with our hearts. May Your Holy Spirit speak through us – and keep us quiet when we just need to hear. Continue to transform us more and more into the image of Jesus – and help us to hear Your heart as we go about our days. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2017 by Paris Renae, All rights reserved.
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