MORNING MANNA 7-15-23
Didn’t You Hear Me?
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24
Have you ever told someone to do something, maybe one of your children, and they never did it? Maybe you went to them out of frustration and, like many parents, exclaimed, “Didn’t you hear me?”
Hearing and listening are two different things. While hearing simply requires ability to hear sound, listening requires effort and close attention. The same is true about listening to the Word of God. Many times Christians can hear a sermon or read the words of the Bible, yet not be listening to God.
Think about this fact: when you got saved, you didn’t merely hear God’s Word but you listened to it and accepted the truths of it. You weren’t thinking about what was for lunch; you were focusing on God’s gift of salvation. As our verse today shows us, God’s Word is first heard, or in this case, listened to intently, by a person before he is saved, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
We can all say that we have listened intently to God’s Word at one time! But are we still approaching God’s Word with that same spirit—the spirit that nothing else on earth matters, nothing around us is as important as time with God? God desires to speak to you and give you truth to help you, yet you can miss out on His promises if you are not attentively listening to Him.
You may be reading this and thinking, “I listen in church. I focus on God while I am reading my Bible.” But have you ever been reading your Bible or praying when you realized your mind was on something else? I’m sure we could all attest to that fact! As you spend time with God, your mind can stray, and you can think about what projects need to be accomplished, what work needs to be done, or what meal is next! The devil likes to distract your mind so you are too busy thinking about other things to focus on God. Rather than getting upset or giving up, determine to set aside the cares of this world and focus your heart and mind on God.
God is trying to speak to you today. He has given you His Word, His church, and His creation that proclaim His greatness. But maybe you’re too busy to focus on God. Maybe your schedule, work, or activities have crowded God out of your mind. Don’t let the things going on around you overtake your time with the Lord. As you spend time with God today, determine to keep your mind on Him and ask Him to speak to you.- Daily in the Word
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
Humble, Tx.
