Listening Ears

Why is it that a child who didn’t hear you ask them to pick up their toys hears the song of the ice cream truck two blocks away?

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Photo by Min An on Pexels.com

As I have gotten older my hearing has dimmed so that  sometimes I just politely nod though I am not really catching all of the conversation. An even a bigger problem for me has been my tendency to ignore other people’s advice. “I’ve heard it all before!” I hear myself saying. A big danger for all of us is that we grow calluses over our ears so that we don’t even hear when God speaks. When Jesus ran into people who had grown dull of hearing like me, He left a short but important counsel.

He said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  Mark 4:9 ESV

Our biggest difficulty isn’t uncovering some miraculous way of hearing from God such as angels or visions. Our greatest challenge is to listen to the truth and then put it into practice. Remember that God gave us ears for listening. Most often God speaks with His still small voice. May we have the grace of a quiet spirit ready to listen to His advice!

 

 

 

 

 

Three Lessons from Laura

But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! John 15:7 NLT

My little friend Laura is just 1 1/2 years old. Because Laura is a Down’s Syndrome child some people have few expectations of her abilities but in her special way she has already taught me three of the most important lessons about faith.

As I sat with her at the church picnic she smiled bigger than any of us “normal” folks because she knows that only this moment counts. By her laughter she is pointing the way to the bottomless well of joy just resting in Jesus.

When Laura’s Mom or Dad come to pick her up she wiggles and snuggles deep into their arms. She doesn’t have to work up courage to go because she is confident that she can go anywhere in the world as long as she is with them.

When she waves her arms reaching out for what she needs she is not ashamed. Whether she is asking for her book a kiss or a cookie it is all the same. She is delighted to ask for anything trusting that her parent’s love is the guarantee she will receive.

Thanks Laura for the lessons and thank you Lord for sending her!

Good News From the Dead

And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? Luke 24:5 ESV

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One spring day when our boys were small, I brought home a turtle I had found on the road. They excitedly helped as we made up a box with a water dish, grass, and stones. But our turtle wanted nothing to do with his new home. He never drank the water, nor ate a single piece of bread. Each day he grew weaker, until by the end of the week he lay motionless. We felt the best thing was to return him to the swamp where he could spend his final days in peace….

To read the rest of the story click on the link to Christian Devotions US February 18th for the full article…

Good News From the Dead