To Listen or Not to Listen

To Listen or not to Listen (Ezekiel 2:1-10)

My wife and I use the same Bible-reading schedule, and we began Ezekiel yesterday. I have to admit that it isn't one of my favorite books; I wasn't looking forward to starting it. God brought me up short, though, and really caught my attention.

After Ezekiel's vision in the first chapter, God informs Ezekiel of the task for which he's been chosen. During that explanation, God mentions two times in chapter two and two more times in chapter three that Ezekiel is to deliver his message whether the people hear or refuse to hear. The repetition jumped out at me.

God sending His prophets to the people who were His people offered them an incredible opportunity and privilege. More often than not, they chose to turn a deaf ear to God's message. We read of their refusals to listen and think about how foolish they were. Even as we think of their foolishness, the Evil One blinds us to our own refusals.

After reading the second and third chapters of Ezekiel yesterday morning, I had to stop and ask God about my own listening skills. "Do I not listen when You speak to me, Lord?" "Do I sometimes ignore Your message because I want my own way?" It dawned on me as I read and prayed that I might be as foolish as the children of Israel, as "impudent and hard-hearted" as they were. (See Eze. 3:7)

Freedom Fighters never win their fight without listening. Regardless of the object of our fight, God speaks to the issues that plague us. Do we have hearts that receive His Word, or would He find us hard-hearted. We won't always want to hear what He has to say, but we'll always do well to listen. Sometimes we'll hear Him speak through His Word. Other times, His message will come through someone preaching or teaching. He may choose to get our attention and speak through a book. His Spirit may speak to us in that "still small voice."

Will you and I listen? Will we harden our hearts and refuse to listen? Victory and freedom hang on our answer. May God help us learn good listening skills! -- John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist of Toms River

God's WORD for YOU: Esther 3-5; Acts 5:22-42

Think about this: A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grevious words stir up anger. (Pr
15:1) What a valuable mine of practical wisdom is this Book of God! Let us ponder this valuable rule for self-discipline, family peace, and Church unity. Scripture often illustrates the different effects of the tongue. The soft answer is the water to quench - Grievous words are the oil to stir up, the fire. And this is alas! man's natural propensity, to feed rather than to quench, the angry flame. We yield to irritation; retort upon our neighbour; have recourse to self-justification; insist upon the last word; say all that we could say; and think we "do well to be angry." (Jonah 4:9.) Neither party gives up an atom of the will. Pride and passion on both sides strike together like two flints; and "behold! how great a matter a little fire kindleth!" (James 3:5.) -- Charles Bridges - Continued tomorrow