Psalm 81 (New International Version, ©2011)
7 In your distress you called and I rescued you,
I answered you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.[c]
8 Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign god among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason! Use them proportionately!
Why is it so hard to listen? Out of any of our possible choices, listening takes the least amount of energy. Yet, in our society we honor people who talk more than people who listen. Even as Christians our conversations with God are full of a lot more talking that listening. We are not much different than Israel. We are so busy talking and pleading for help, we forget to listen.
This message is not just for you. This message is for me. I am such an impatient person. i do not take the time to listen. I have to attack problems, solve them and get on to the next one. I don't have time for idol listening.
Do you understand where I'm coming from?
Tonight when you say your prayers, in the morning when you say your prayers, At dinner time, when you say your prayers, don't forget to listen! God has a lot to say, he loves us and wants the best for us. How can we know what that is if we don't listen.
I answered you out of a thundercloud;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.[c]
8 Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—
if you would only listen to me, Israel!
9 You shall have no foreign god among you;
you shall not worship any god other than me.
10 I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
11 “But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason! Use them proportionately!
Why is it so hard to listen? Out of any of our possible choices, listening takes the least amount of energy. Yet, in our society we honor people who talk more than people who listen. Even as Christians our conversations with God are full of a lot more talking that listening. We are not much different than Israel. We are so busy talking and pleading for help, we forget to listen.
This message is not just for you. This message is for me. I am such an impatient person. i do not take the time to listen. I have to attack problems, solve them and get on to the next one. I don't have time for idol listening.
Do you understand where I'm coming from?
Tonight when you say your prayers, in the morning when you say your prayers, At dinner time, when you say your prayers, don't forget to listen! God has a lot to say, he loves us and wants the best for us. How can we know what that is if we don't listen.
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