Listen

I overheard a conversation between a husband and wife:

“Where were you?”

“I told you.”

“No, you did not tell me.”

“Yes, I did.”

“I can’t believe your attitude . . . just leave me alone.”

At first   . . . one would think it did not matter where the husband had been . . . the wife wanted to be left alone. Of course, we know there was more in the message.

The thing is . . . we can hear words without listening to understand the message.

 Study Acts 14.  A man was healed and the people automatically believed Barnabas  to be "Zeus" and Paul to be "Hermes,"  refusing  to listen to the truth of the presence and power of God:   Then some Jews from Antioch and Iconium caught up with them and turned the fickle crowd against them. They beat Paul unconscious, dragged him outside the town and left him for dead. But as the disciples gathered around him, he came to and got up. He went back into town and the next day left with Barnabas for Derbe.  (Acts 14: 19-20)

The people missed hearing the true message because of their set of beliefs; they did not listen to understand.  Subsequently, the people beat Paul.  Listening is about the mind.  Our mindset determines how we listen and respond.

One of my favorite scriptures is simple: "Cease striving and know that I am God;
         I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth" ( Psalm 46:10).

When we cease striving . . . intentionally stilling our mind . . . we  know God.

Listen. 
Hear what God says. 
Cease striving and know God.

Learning with you to KICK START the day . . . through listening,

                                      Pastor Kerrie

 (written by Kerrie Palmer © 2010 All Rights Reserved)
interactstudies/ ~ kpalmer@hillchurch.com ~Church on the Hill~700 N. Hill Rd.~McMinnville, OR 97128~503.472.8476 ~www.hillchurch.com~Archives & Daily Subscription: go to http://kickstarttoday.blogspot.com/