I’d like to continue with my devotional thought from yesterday’s devotion.
Have you ever had tinnitus? It is a ringing in the ears, a very unpleasant sound. It hinders hearing.
Have you ever had too much wax in your ear, so much so that it weighs against your ear drum? Not only does it have a physical side effect (vertigo) it also makes it hard to hear. Been there done that.
Have you ever felt like you were underwater and all you could hear was a sound like a seashell against your ear? It makes it hard to hear.
Have you ever been wearing headphones and found people talking to you and you either had no clue or could not make out what they were saying?
I have described some common, sometimes everyday occurrences. All of them affect our hearing. Okay, let’s move it into another realm.
Each day you read, watch, listen, or “veg out” to the news. Hour after hour of the same old garbage. This or that politician is off the rails. This or that legislation is good or bad. This or that country is considering going to war.
There is nothing wrong with knowing what is going on in the world. We can’t hide our heads in the sand. But the more we listen, the louder the voices get. Meanwhile, the one who has a steady diet of this nonsense sinks deeper and deeper into despair. As I said, I’m not opposed to knowing what is going on in the world, but enough is enough. There comes a point in time where we have to shut down the voices clamoring for our attention, stop, and listen to another voice.
It is the voice of the Father saying, “My peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.” Jesus once said, “My sheep hear my voice.” The question that comes up and needs answered is “How can I hear His voice if I’m not listening? And how can I hear if I’m listening too much to others?”
In a noisy world, we need to shut down the distractions and the steady diet of outside noise and take time to hear the voice of the Father.
Shut off the news. Silence the ringing in the ears of annoying claptrap. Hear the voice of the Shepherd calling you to Him.