Am I Deaf With Both Fingers in Your Ears?

Am I Deaf With Both Fingers in Your Ears?

My wife and I have had baby recently and it was rather taxing. Nothing terrible happened, and for the most part our new child is healthy. However my wife and I choose not to rest. We want to be healthy so that we can be on this earth for a long time to guide and teach our children. Consequently we have been going on walks in the evening. There is is empty lot that we pass in town and looks much like a park for nature. The grass is mowed and there are trees and bushes there. We have noticed that there are a couple of inhabitants there, two young rabbits. I told my two oldest sons, "if you can catch that rabbit I will let you keep it for a pet." They didn't understand what I was trying to do. I didn't think that they could ever catch that rabbit but I thought that they would get plenty of exercise and fun trying to catch it far from the allure of a video screen. God is similar, a journey that would take about 2 weeks took the Israelites 40 years for they had much to learn on their journey. So often has God spoke to us in times past but we just don't seem to get it. We hear his words and they make no sense to us so we discard them as folly. God's word is like that of a Walnut to me. From the outside it is rough and corse, but if you take the time to crack it open and understand it you will find something so sweet and satisfying.  God made this world, and through it speaks to us everyday. For us Christians marriage is the unity of one man and one woman called together by God with the intent to bring life into this world, but the term marriage has been redefined to just mean to people that love each other. Sex is a beautiful gift to bring new life into this world, but it sex is now treated as if it is just a thing to be used as we choose. We use drugs that harm our bodies to prevent pregnancy. Some even take part in acts that cause damage to those we say we love. Others use sex and people like they are just things with no regard for their feelings using them only as pleasure devices. So those that choose to hear God follow him because they take time to understand. We are not perfect, but merely on the road to heaven. God is speaking to us all, but are we listening like a friend or ignoring him because he isn't saying anything we want to hear? 

Exodus 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20
1On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2And when they set out from Reph'idim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. 9And the LORD said to Moses, "Lo, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you for ever." Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD. 10And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, 11and be ready by the third day; for on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 16On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God; and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18And Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. 20And the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

Daniel 3:52-56
52"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.53Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.54Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.55Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.56Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever.

Matthew 13:10-17
10Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" 11And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: `You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive. 15For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.' 16But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

A Thought: Hear the Calling

I always get annoyed when the phone rings. It seems to always ring when my hands are busy and there are a million things that I need to do. Usually when I answer the phone its not for me or it is some telemarketer selling something that I have no need for, but each day I prepare myself for any call that comes to me. I don’t know if you do but I used to live in a “box” and anything outside of my “box” I would not entertain. “Is it my responsibility?” No, then I would move on. I said no to a lot of things. The problem with that is that isn’t a very loving way to walk through the world. I find that this comes in most to play at work. God wants me to love him with all my body, mind and soul and to love others as I love myself. Loving people doesn’t mean turning them away. It means going out of my way when maybe I don’t want to. I do this for my children all the time. They need things or help with tasks and I take the time to patiently, lovingly teach them. Now when I see things that need to be done or things I could do to help others I try very hard to take the time to do it. I still have to think of my priorities but really, I can spare that $5 bill in my pocket and give it to someone in need. When I see that one of my fellow coworkers struggling to get their tasks done I help. I strongly believe that from the beginning of time that God was trying to get us all to “pay it forward” in an effort to make earth a little like heaven. So I walk through each day actively listening for God’s call. He asks really for so little. Whenever I do get frustrated I look to Mary and how she unflinchingly said yes to God. She bore a child out of wedlock at a time that is was a major shame to do so. She raised a child that she watched beaten, spit on and killed in front of her. Through it all she was devoted to God. She is a true role model.

Luke 1:26-33

26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!"29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end."