I will bless the Lord who advises me; even at night I am instructed in the depths of my mind.
- Psalm 16:7
Listening is an interesting action, because it is an engaged form of hearing. We usually hear things all the time, our ears are made to hear, it keeps us safe from danger and lets us recognize people by the sound they make. However, even though we may hear things, listening is a little bit different. When we listen we are engaging our ears to hear and our minds to comprehend. When we listen we are expecting something, or processing something. Listening requires action on our part to understand what we hear.
I often talk about engaged listening when I talk to couples who are preparing to get married. My hope it is a skill that they will put into practice in their relationship with one another, but it is also an opportunity to them to understand that engaged listening is a skill we should practice in all relationships. With our children, it was always fun to see them starting to listening to people, and comprehends some things that are being said. Usually they begin to understand phrases like “are you ready to go to bed, or night-night?” which they usually shake their heads “no.” Obviously they understand what bed is, and aren’t ready to go there.
How much does each of us comprehend what we hear? Sure we hear many things throughout the day, we hear the radio, the television, our co-workers, our neighbors, our family. We hear what is going on in the world, but are we listening for God? Do we hear when God speaks to us?
The psalmist remarks: “I will bless the Lord who advises me…” That is, I will listen to the one who matters most, I will search the depths of my heart and mind, where God’s Holy Spirit has been welcomed in, hear, listen, and obey what God has planned for me, or says to me. The psalmist goes on to mention that even in the night, in the depths of the mind, God is there speaking and instructing. God is there in the midst of everything we do. God is there in our busyness as well as our stillness. God has instruction for all of us. God is not done with us yet, for His will is still being done in all of us who listen and obey.
I hope you will listen deeply, today, hear what God is speaking in your heart and mind, and know you are on his. Be among the blessed who bless the Lord, and live each day in His presence.
Grace & Peace,
Sam