Ears to hear

I am convinced that God is alive and well and quite talkative. We just need to listen. God speaks to us in many ways. This is not usually the Bill Cosby variety where he used a booming voice to call out “Noah, NOAH, I want you to build me an ark.” In the skit even Noah said “Who is the really? Am I on Candid Camera?”

No I think God is much more subtle than that. He often speaks to us in our dreams. Not the type were you need to psychoanalyze every dream; but rather, waking up and knowing what you are to do. Writing this blog post is one example. I woke up knowing what to say, I just hope I remember it because at 3am it sounded really good.

God also talks to us through other people. People we interact with in the course of our day help guide and direct us. Some of those people are not there by mere coincidence.

Sometimes a piece of scripture will speak to us. It may be something we have read before. Or it may be a new passage that we found just when we needed it.

Yes, God is talking – but why are we not listening?

Case in point, Floyd Landis. Floyd was raised in a very devout Mennonite home. I would think that he should recognize when God is trying to get his point across. Yet according to Floyd Landis, he began using performance enhancing drugs in 2002. Why did he not listen to that voice in 2002 that said not only are the PEDs dangerous, but they are wrong to use? Then in 2006 when he was caught using the drugs he lied to the world. More profoundly, he lied to his parents. I firmly believe that God was trying many different ways to tell Floyd to stand strong with the truth and then try to resurrect his life.

Now Floyd says “I lied then, but now I am telling the truth” and he is implicating other riders. God wants us to be united in brotherhood, not accuse our brothers. Floyd is still not listening.

What is it about our society that makes it so difficult to listen to God? I denied my own calling to the ministry for decades. I am sure others are also missing the message about their calling, whether in ministry or the secular world. One only has to see the front page of the paper to see those who are missing the message about ethical behaviors.

I don’t think this is a problem that is unique to those in the 21^st century. However, we complicate the issue with technology and pressure for monetary achievement.

Think about Jesus walking in a crowd and he sensed that someone had touched his robe. That is awareness. Yet for many, they would not even notice the crowd because they are texting or talking on the cell phone.

Can we become more aware? Prayer time helps. Removing some the technology distractions would be a good start (even just for a little while). Stopping to study a flower, really look at it closely, might open you up to hear.

When I enter a place of worship I begin by kneeling in prayer. Often I simply ask that God open my eyes to see, my ears to hear, and my heart to feel. May this also be true for you.

Shalom,