Daily Thought for Wednesday, December 14th

December 14, 2011 

Do You Hear What He Says

Today’s Thought:

“A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something.” – Wilson Mizner

Today’s Quote:

“It takes a great man to be a good listener.” – Anonymous

Today’s Question:

Have you ever considered this notion: “If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two mouths and one ear?” – Mark Twain

Today’s Bible Verses:                James 1:17-25  & Romans 10:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Today’s Spiritual Thought:

“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force.” – Karl Menninger

“Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear
A song, a song, high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea.”

- Noel Regney (lyrics from ‘Do You Hear What I Hear’)

Jesus taught us that if we were His sheep we would know His voice.  But knowing His voice doesn’t always mean we listen to His voice.  Sadly, the Lord speaks to us daily through people, events, circumstance and situations; but far too often we are so preoccupied that we miss the message He has for us.

He also speaks through His word and in our quiet times of prayers and meditation: but again sometimes, many of us spend so little time reading the Bible and kneeling in prayer, that we again miss many of the messages God might want to speak to our hearts,

We know we are to be doers of His words: but it is rather difficult to do what you haven’t heard and it is even harder to hear if you aren’t listening.

Mary heard a message from God that not only changed her life; but it affected the entire world.

Could God have a message of that magnitude for you?

You’ll never know if you don’t take the time to listen and hear what He is saying.

Today’s Prayer:

Father, I love to talk; but sometimes I need to learn to be still and listen more.  Help me be a better listener, especially to you.

“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.”

- Jimi Hendrix