“Then he added, ‘Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.’” v.24-25 (NLT)
Are you guilty of having “selective hearing?” Selective hearing happens when we are not totally present! We hear the things going on around us and we have either tuned them out, or we are trying to listen while we are doing something else as well. Sadly, I think we do this more than we want to admit. How many times have you been praying and other thoughts come to mind, how many times have you been in a church service and start to think of where you are going to eat afterwards, how many times have you been talking with a loved one while watching TV or on your computer … or better yet, trying to do all 3 at the same time.
If we want to be fully engaged, then we have to be fully present. We have to listen with a desire to engage. We have to read with a desire to fully learn. We have to pray with the desire to fully share. When we allow ourselves to be fully present in the presence of God, we will have a fuller understanding, a deeper conviction, and a stronger desire to know Him and Live for Him.
Today, the question really is this, “Do You Hear Me Now?” God want to talk to you, will you have selective hearing, or will you be fully present?
Dan Gould 