How Well Do You Hear
Thursday July 10, 2014
Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. (Psalm 130:1-2 NIV)
This is how King David, the Psalmist who wrote these words spoke to the Lord. Many times when he was in trouble he cried out and pleaded with the Lord to help him. David told God how he was feeling in his own being, how others were treating him; how at times he felt abandoned by God. However, no matter what happened in his life, David never doubted that God existed or was able to help him.
If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins. (Psalm 130:3-7 NIV)
Have you ever been for a hearing test? The tester gives instructions, then puts the person in a glass cubicle and puts ear phones on their ears. The tester tells the person to raise their hand each time they hear a sound. Some sounds are easy to hear and others are not very distinct. The tester then will put a noise along with the sounds and ask the person being tested once again to raise their hand when they hear the sounds. The sounds are harder to hear when combined with the noise. The tester will then speak some words and ask the person being tested to repeat what they have heard. From the results of the test the tester is able to assess how well one can hear. The person being tested has to participate with the tester in order for the tester to assess how well the person can hear.
How well do you think God hears when you pray to Him? Do you think sometimes that He may miss what you say? After you pray do you listen to hear what God has to say to you? When the person raises their hand the tester is able to see that the sound has been heard. Only when the tester hears the word correctly repeated back to him is he able to determine that he has been heard. The word of God in the Bible is like that. God gives us instructions through His word. Do we hear him? How does God know that we hear Him? Like the tester, He is always watching us to see if we follow His instructions. When one speaks the words of God as written in the Bible, God knows that that person has heard Him. You have just read His words to you. Did you hear Him speak? Repeat to yourself some of God’s words you have just read. 
“ If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?” “But with you there is forgiveness” “Put your hope in the Lord”, “with the Lord is unfailing love”, “and with him is full redemption”, “He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins”.
Let’s show the Lord now that we have heard what He has said by praying His words back to Him. Let’s put our own name in place of the name of Israel and accept the fact that God has redeemed us from all our sins.
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