Have you ever been accused of “selective hearing”? Meaning, you’re somehow able to hear some things but not others?
If you haven’t been accused of it, I’d venture to guess that you know what I’m alluding to. Sometimes we only hear what we want to hear from a conversation, and sometimes we only listen when we want to listen.
It happens. Listening takes time, effort, and energy, and attention. And while sometimes we may intentionally ignore what another is saying, sometimes we don’t get the message because we don’t have the capacity to do so.
So when it comes to listening to God, how would you rate your ability to listen? Is your listening a bit on the “selective” side? Or, do you only hear from God – and Scripture – what you want to hear? Or, do you only listen when it’s convienent for you?
Much like listening to those around us, listening to God also takes time, effort, energy, and attention. Scripture testifies to this – much like we heard this past Sunday from 1 Samuel 3. But, as we heard in that story, what God has to say might not always be the easiest thing to hear. While God’s Word may be a word of comfort (for it is intended to be that as well!), at times God’s Word might challenge us, might present us with a truth that we need to confront, or might put before us a call to speak truth in a situation where we don’t know if it’ll be received or not.
So when God’s Word becomes something that asks a bit more of us – more time, more effort, more energy – do we still listen? Or, is it easier to turn on the selective hearing and pretend we didn’t hear that Word after all?
Along with the rest of us, I’m just as guilty of being selective in what I choose to hear from God. But in all times and places, God has promised us that God’s Word to us will be what is best for us, and for all creation.
So as we venture into the season of Epiphany, as much as we receive the invitation from Jesus to “come and see,” I also invite you to come and listen. For God is still speaking. And God’s Word is still circulating through us, through the church, and through the world to restore all things according to the vision of God’s Kingdom.