Are You Listening?

“Listen. Can you hear the note hang in the air as the next note is played?”

Squinted eyes. Frowning face.

“Listen again. It’s as if I’m connecting the notes as a complete thought – a sentence. One note joins the next to produce a new meaning. Do you hear it?”

“Cool!”

“Wasn’t that beautiful?”

Smiling nod.

“That’s legato … a complete thought … a complete moment.”

It took several attempts, but my 9-year-old student learned how to listen a little deeper for the connections between the notes in a legato phrase.

Deep listening connects thoughts and emotions to understand the moment's meaning and beauty. Click To Tweet

We study the marketplace in our businesses. We watch how many “likes,” “followers,” and “friends” we have on social media. We look at the analytics to determine what worked and what didn’t. We’re always trying to understand the business of life.

Yet, sometimes, we neglect the relationships in our personal lives. We neglect studying the One who has given us the many blessings we enjoy. We take our husbands for granted, and when we hear our children say “fine” when we ask them how their day went, and we think everything was “fine” according to our definition.

The word “listen” appears 195 times in the Bible, and the word “hear” appears 469 times. Do you think that the Lord wants us to hear and listen?

When we listen deeply, we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and lead us. Then, He enables us to possess the promises of God, connect more intimately with our spouses, and help others walk through life.

Jesus said that His sheep know His voice and follow Him. John 10:27 They have stayed in His presence and have heard His voice many times. They have studied Him, and they follow Him when He calls them.

To listen deeply, we must first study the communicator.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

Learn from Jesus. The disciples talked with Jesus, asked Him questions, listened to Him teach, watched Him perform miracles, observed Him praying, ate with Him, lived with Him, walked with Him, obeyed His commands, and enjoyed being with Him. Years studying Him. Eternity loving Him.

We study our Bibles, and yet, have we listened, really listened for the connections in what the Holy Spirit is teaching us? Have we connected verse to verse, chapter to chapter, book to book, intellect to heart?

We’ve lived with our husbands for years … for Keith and me, 49 years. Have we listened to the connections of moments?

Do I study his body language as he tells me about his day?

Do I take time from cooking, the housework, my writing, and my studying to sit with him and look him in the eyes and listen to his hopes, his dreams, and his plans?

Do I pray that the Holy Spirit will teach me how to understand him better, so that I can bless him in a more effective manner?

Have I listened for the meaning hanging in the air as one word pauses and lightly connects with the next? Click To Tweet

Father, teach me to listen deeply to You, to my husband, to my daughter, to my grandson, to my friends, to others. Help me to hear the unspoken words and emotions. Teach me to study others. Show me, Lord, how to respond and bless You and others as I learn to listen deeply. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Please share how you study the Word or study others in order to listen more effectively.

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