* Listening is an important aspect of spiritual growth
The people had entered into a covenant with God, and Moses commanded them to hear, learn, and follow his regulations. Christians also have entered into a covenant with God (through Jesus Christ) and should be responsive to what God expects. Moses’ threefold command to the Israelites is excellent advice for all God’s followers. Listening is absorbing and accepting information about God. Learning is understanding its meaning and implications. Obeying is putting into action all we have learned and understood. All three parts are essential to a growing relationship with God. (NLT)
Deuteronomy 5:1 – Moses called all the people of Israel together and said, “Listen carefully to all the laws and regulations I am giving you today. Learn them and be sure to obey them!
* Listening may prevent you from acting wrongly
David was in no mood to listen when he set out for Nabal’s property. Nevertheless, he stopped to hear what Abigail had to say. If he had ignored her, he would have been guilty of taking vengeance into his own hands. No matter how right we think we are, we must always be careful to stop and listen to others. The extra time and effort can save us pain and trouble in the long run. (NLT)
1 Samuel 25:24 – She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say.
* Are you listening for God?
Elijah knew that the sound of gentle whisper was God’s voice. He realized that God doesn’t reveal himself only in powerful miraculous ways. To look for God only in something big (rallies, churches, conferences, highly visible leaders) may be to miss him because he is often found gently whispering in the quietness of a humbled heart. Are you listening for God? Step back from the noise and activity of your busy life, and listen humbly and quietly for his guidance. It may come when you least expect it. (NLT)
1 Kings 19:11-13 – “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
* God is more than willing to pour out his heart and make known his thoughts to us. To receive his advice, we must be willing to listen, refusing to let pride stand in our way. Pride is thinking more highly of our own wisdom and desires than of God’s. If we think we know better than God or feel we have no need of God’s direction, we have fallen into foolish and disastrous pride. (NLT)
Proverbs 1:23-28 – Come here and listen to me! I’ll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise. “I called you so often, but you didn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you–when calamity overcomes you like a storm, when you are engulfed by trouble, and when anguish and distress overwhelm you.
“I will not answer when they cry for help. Even though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.”
* Listening to opinions of others
David took time to confer with all his officers. As king, he had ultimate authority and could have given orders on his own, but he chose to involve others in leadership. Perhaps this is why there was unanimous support for his decisions. When we are in charge, it is tempting to make unilateral decisions, pushing through our own opinions. But effective leaders listen carefully to others’ opinions, and they encourage others to participate in making decisions. Of course, we should always consult God first. We can run into big problems if we don’t talk to him. (NLT)
1 Chronicles 13:1 – David consulted with all his officials, including the generals and captains of his army.
* God is listening to you
We may believe that God hears only certain requests from us. While it is true that we should offer praise, confession, and respectful petitions, it is true also that God is willing to listen to anything we want to tell him. David expressed himself honestly, knowing that God would hear his voice. God will always listen to us, and he fully understands us. (NLT)
Psalm 64:1-2 – O God, listen to my complaint. Do not let my enemies’ threats overwhelm me. Protect me from the plots of the wicked, from the scheming of those who do evil.
* Listening with the mind and heart
We hear with our ears, but there is a deeper kind of listening with the mind and heart that is necessary in order to gain spiritual understanding from Jesus’ words. Some people in the crowd were looking for evidence to use against Jesus, others truly wanted to learn and grow. Jesus’ words were for the honest seekers. (NLT)
Mark 4:9 – Then he [Jesus] said, “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!”
* Listening must be followed by obedience
Why would people build a house without a foundation? Perhaps to save time and avoid the hard work of preparing a stone foundation. Possibly because the waterfront scenery is more attractive or because beach houses have higher social status than cliff houses. Perhaps because they want to join their friends who have already settled in sandy areas. Maybe because they haven’t heard about the violent storms coming, or because they have discounted the reports, or for some reason they think disaster can’t happen to them. Whatever their reason, those with no foundation are shortsighted, and they will be sorry. When you find yourself listening but not obeying, what are your reasons? (NLT)
Luke 6:49 – [Jesus said] “But anyone who listens and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins.”
* How to listen to Christ
The author called his readers to pay attention to the truth they had heard so that they wouldn’t drift away into false teachings. Paying careful attention is hard work. It inovlves focusing our mind, body, and senses. Listening to Christ means not merely hearing but also obeying. We must listen carefully and be ready to carry out his instructions. (NLT)
Hebrews 2:1-3 – So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. The message God delivered through angels has always proved true, and the people were punished for every violation of the law and every act of disobedience. What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself? It was passed on to us by those who heard him speak.
* Listening is an important part of communication
When we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that we think our ideas are much more important than theirs. James wisely advises us to reverse this process. Put a mental stopwatch on your conversations, and keep track of how much you talk and how much you listen. When people talk with you, do they feel that their viewpoints and ideas have value? (NLT)
James 1:19 – My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
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