Today's Reading: Matthew 13-16
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Matthew 13: 16 NRSV
Have you ever realized how blessed you are?
For you are not one of the crowds who hear the parable but not the explanation. You are not those who are like sheep without a shepherd. You are not the lost but the found.
You are a disciple of Jesus Christ. As such, you have eyes that see and ears that hear.
You are blessed.
Do you realize how many longed to be where you are? And still how many long for what you have?
Live as one who is blessed, one who has eyes that see and one who has ears that hear.
God, you have blessed us with eyes and ears that see and hear. Help us to use what we are blessed with to further you kingdom. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims
Showing posts with label ears to hear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ears to hear. Show all posts
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Life is Tough
Today's reading: Ezekiel 9-12
Mortal, you are living in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, who have ears to hear but do not hear.... Ezekiel 12:2 NRSV
Mortal: finite, human, will face death
Living in the midst of a rebellious house: Why? Can't I get out of this house? Where would I go? Can I not improve the morals of those around me? How can I stay true and obedient in the midst of all this rebelliousness?
Eyes to see, ears to hear: Everyone around me is perfectly capable of obedience. They all have the resources, senses and body parts to be the people God created them to be. Yet, they can't seem to use what they have been given. Why is that?
I am in the humble state of not being immortal.
There is only so much I can do.
I am among others who are not obedient to God.
Others in my own home have what they need to be close to and belong fully to God.
Those closest to me are not using what they have been given.
Life is tough when I must live in these circumstances.
God, help us stay on course even when we are surrounded by those who have eyes to see and ears to hear but are using neither. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims
Mortal, you are living in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, who have ears to hear but do not hear.... Ezekiel 12:2 NRSV
Mortal: finite, human, will face death
Living in the midst of a rebellious house: Why? Can't I get out of this house? Where would I go? Can I not improve the morals of those around me? How can I stay true and obedient in the midst of all this rebelliousness?
Eyes to see, ears to hear: Everyone around me is perfectly capable of obedience. They all have the resources, senses and body parts to be the people God created them to be. Yet, they can't seem to use what they have been given. Why is that?
I am in the humble state of not being immortal.
There is only so much I can do.
I am among others who are not obedient to God.
Others in my own home have what they need to be close to and belong fully to God.
Those closest to me are not using what they have been given.
Life is tough when I must live in these circumstances.
God, help us stay on course even when we are surrounded by those who have eyes to see and ears to hear but are using neither. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims
Friday, February 26, 2010
I Wasn't Listening
"...and I said to you, 'I am the Lord your God; you shall not pay reverence to the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live.' But you have not given heed to my voice." Judges 6:10 NRSV
Oh, sorry, what did you say, God? Were you talking to me?
You want me to do what?
When did you tell me this? I must have missed it.
I need to stop what? And do what?
I haven't been paying you reverence? But wasn't I in church on Sunday....? Oh, right. I forgot. My mind must have been elsewhere.
Where were we again? Oh, yes. Please do continue.
You say I haven't been listening to you? Really? I thought I was a very good listener.
But I haven't been acting like it, you say. Hmmm. I guess I need to work on that.
Okay, no guessing. I need to act like I've been listening to you. No acting -- I need to do as you say.
Open my ears, Lord. Help me to hear you. I want to listen to your voice. Let me take what you say to me to heart.
Amen.
Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims
Oh, sorry, what did you say, God? Were you talking to me?
You want me to do what?
When did you tell me this? I must have missed it.
I need to stop what? And do what?
I haven't been paying you reverence? But wasn't I in church on Sunday....? Oh, right. I forgot. My mind must have been elsewhere.
Where were we again? Oh, yes. Please do continue.
You say I haven't been listening to you? Really? I thought I was a very good listener.
But I haven't been acting like it, you say. Hmmm. I guess I need to work on that.
Okay, no guessing. I need to act like I've been listening to you. No acting -- I need to do as you say.
Open my ears, Lord. Help me to hear you. I want to listen to your voice. Let me take what you say to me to heart.
Amen.
Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims
Saturday, August 22, 2009
If Only We Would Listen
Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press to hide it from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior." Gideon answered him, "But sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has cast us off, and given us into the hand of Midian." Judges 6: 11-13 NRSV
Gideon can't hear.
The angel of the Lord appears to him and says that God is with Gideon and that Gideon is a fine warrior.
But Gideon turns that around to ask where God is with the people. Here he is beating the wheat in the wine press in order to hide from the enemies who have been terrorizing the Israelites. Now a prophet had recently told the Israelites that they had been abandoned because they had abandoned God. God pointedly says they have worshipped other gods "...but have not given heed to my voice." Judges 6:10b
The angel has said God is with Gideon but Gideon doesn't hear that. He is less focused on God's presence in his life and more focused on the absence of God in the lives of his people.
Hello, Gideon!
An angel of the Lord has appeared to him!
The angel has told him God is with him!
God pronounces that Gideon is a great warrior!
This conversation is beginning to remind me of one in the Gospel of Luke where the angel of the Lord appears to Zechariah in the temple.
How often does the angel of the Lord appear to us and we can't hear what is said? Or we deny what is said? Or we don't believe God's pronouncement?
Instead, we have a major argument with God about a whole bunch of other issues. If we just listened and obeyed, perhaps what God is saying to us will actually impact all those other things.
If only we would listen.
God, give us ears to hear! In Jesus' Holy name. Amen.
Question of the day: What is God saying to you that you are ignoring?
Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims
Gideon can't hear.
The angel of the Lord appears to him and says that God is with Gideon and that Gideon is a fine warrior.
But Gideon turns that around to ask where God is with the people. Here he is beating the wheat in the wine press in order to hide from the enemies who have been terrorizing the Israelites. Now a prophet had recently told the Israelites that they had been abandoned because they had abandoned God. God pointedly says they have worshipped other gods "...but have not given heed to my voice." Judges 6:10b
The angel has said God is with Gideon but Gideon doesn't hear that. He is less focused on God's presence in his life and more focused on the absence of God in the lives of his people.
Hello, Gideon!
An angel of the Lord has appeared to him!
The angel has told him God is with him!
God pronounces that Gideon is a great warrior!
This conversation is beginning to remind me of one in the Gospel of Luke where the angel of the Lord appears to Zechariah in the temple.
How often does the angel of the Lord appear to us and we can't hear what is said? Or we deny what is said? Or we don't believe God's pronouncement?
Instead, we have a major argument with God about a whole bunch of other issues. If we just listened and obeyed, perhaps what God is saying to us will actually impact all those other things.
If only we would listen.
God, give us ears to hear! In Jesus' Holy name. Amen.
Question of the day: What is God saying to you that you are ignoring?
Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims
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