But there are 3 words tucked away there, in the midst of all the action. The voice of God in heaven thundering from the clouds in v.5 says, "Listen to Him." Of course, He is speaking of His Son Jesus, his dearly loved Son who brings Him great joy.
Listen to Him. Are you listening?
It's a very obvious parallel to what I wrote about yesterday, asking you to consider if Jesus is enough. Are we so busy looking for Jesus to do things for us and around us that we neglect the very simple, but vitally important task of listening to Him?
The words that Jesus speaks to us in the Gospels are words of life and words of blessing. Listening to Jesus is more than hearing him. Listening involves attentiveness and obedience.
I hear all sorts of things every day when I wake up. The voices of my kids getting ready for school in the morning. The hiss of the coffee pot when I roll out of bed is a reminder that my wife now shares my caffeine addiction and that she loves me enough to make coffee for both of us. The whine of my dogs in the basement eager to get outside and do their business. And as my day unfolds, I hear many, many more things. Some I seek intentionally. Some I overhear. Some of these things are worth listening to - absorbing them, reflecting on them and considering their value and worth in how they might shape my day and life. Some of them need to remain just things that I hear and don't really listen to.
But if I want to live a life that pleases God and honors Him, it's clear that I must listen to Jesus. I don't hear Jesus speak to me in audible tones. Once in a great while I might have a dream that God uses to get my attention. I see glimpses of God's glory all around me.
But there's really only one sure-fire way to listen to Jesus. And that is by diving into God's Word. For a follower of Jesus, reading and wrestling with Scripture really isn't optional if we desire to be obedient to Him. Following Jesus and becoming like Him is a life-long pursuit. And we don't know what it means to follow obediently if we aren't listening to Him.
Learning to listen to Jesus is a process. Sometimes it can be frustrating. Sometimes it can even hurt, when His words bring conviction to our hearts about a particular area of sin or disobedience. Sometimes it can be confusing when we don't understand the context in which He spoke.
But listen we must, because God says that we must. As you consider the various voices and noises in your own life, consider if you are really listening to Jesus. Are you doing more than just hearing, or are the words of Jesus in Scripture more like this:
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