Listen

Following my reading schedule, I found myself in both Deuteronomy and Psalms today. The word that jumped out at me several times in both passages was "listen". Hmmmm...sounds like something I used to say a lot to my kids.

In Deut. 1, Moses is rehearsing Israel's history as they are on the brink of entering the Promised land. He reminds them that "you would not listen. Instead you rebelled against the command of the LORD, and acted presumptuously..." What was the result? "Then you returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD did not listen to your voice, nor give ear to you." I was sobered by those words. Then I turned over to Psalm 81 and read the following: "Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you; O Israel, if you would listen to Me!...But My people did not listen to My voice; And Israel did not obey Me...Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!" What does He want us to hear? Couched in the middle of these verses is this one: "I, the LORD, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it." (emphasis added) What a wonderful promise! Will I "listen" and open my mouth wide and be filled? I'm afraid too often I follow the Israelites example of presumptuosly going about my own way with closed mouth. "Father, cause me to 'listen' to your every word and 'open my mouth wide' to receive Your filling."