Jeremiah 6

I came up empty today so I turned to Tom's post and as usual he didn't disappoint.  I just took a class with my boss and his staff last week and a big part of the class was about listening and having good conversation.  The instructor said "relationship is a series of conversations...think about your last five conversations with the people most important to you then ask yourself what kind of relationship you have?"  Well it can be a little humbling and concerning.  Then today, I read what Tom wrote and when he said prayer is a dialogue it made me think--what kind of relationship do I have with God?  I don't think I do a good job of listening at all which brings into question the quality of my relationship.

knut


Tom's post---
It’s hopeless. Their ears are stuffed with wax — deaf as a post, blind as a bat. It’s hopeless! They’ve tuned out God. Jeremiah 6:10b-11a (MSG)

I have hearing problems. It is not a fun thing to have your hearing diminished. It aggravates life in a myriad of ways. It’s amazing how much you miss, and in converstions you frequently find yourself having to decide if you are going to admit you didn’t hear and inquire about what was just said or of you just let it go. Wendy’s gotten sharp at knowing the blank expression of my face as I try to process what she just said. I feel awful asking people to repeat themselves all the time. Not only is it humbling but it’s an annoyance for all parties involved.
It’s no wonder that these lines from today’s chapter jumped off the page at me. I may struggle with hearing, but I never want to be deaf to God. Like any other conversation in any other relationship, I’ve found that you have to consciously listen for what God is saying. You have to tune your spiritual ears. You have to concentrate and pay attention. Prayer is not just about talking to God, it’s also about listening to God. It’s not a monologue, it’s a dialogue.
Today, I’m trying to remember to do a better job of listening.