Hear this, all peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall give understanding. (Psalm 49:1-3)
Throughout the Gospels, Messiah would often emphasize the importance of listening to His message by saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Obviously the point was to suggest that not everyone who heard the words got the message, thus amplifying just how important hearing truly is, especially in regard to the Word of God. Remember what Paul said: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17); and as the writer of Hebrews added, “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). In short, hearing is critical if we are to be the people God has called us to be.
I might add that the emphasis placed on hearing is not exclusive to the New Testament nor to Christianity. The importance of hearing the Word of God is a precept established in the Hebrew Scriptures and is fundamental to Judaism. In fact, both faiths recognize that the greatest of all Biblical commands — “You shall love God with all your heart” — begins with these words: “Hear O Israel!” The implication is, if we are unable or unwilling to really hear God, we certainly will not be able to love God. This being understood, we should not be surprised to find constant reminders in the Scripture encouraging us to “Hear” and “give ear” to important issues being addressed.
To underscore all of this, allow me to share an observation found in Jewish literature that makes the point in an interesting manner. If a man were to fall from a high ladder and suffer multiple injuries, a physician would need to attend to each and every wound in order for the man to heal. On the spiritual side of things; when a person falls into sin, he wounds his entire being — heart, soul, mind and body. Unlike the earthly physician, God, the Great Physician, does not need to treat each wound individually. He only asks the person to give Him his ear. In other words, if we are willing to hear His Word and receive His instruction, all of our wounds and hurts can be healed completely. What begins in the heart will permeate our mind and soul and will bring healing and restoration to our entire being. So then, let us be diligent to give Him our ear that we may hear what He has to say to us today and everyday that we might be whole.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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