Are you listening well?
One of the most common problems that teachers have is whether or not to know if the students have listened and understood their lessons. Of course, they will know later how well they listened but, it shows how difficult it is to keep the attention in the class, especially when many are easily distracted. Something similar is happening with the sanitary standards to follow to prevent COVID 19, also in the spiritual field in our churches.
Generally speaking, many people know about Christ but, not many are personally in touch with Him because they have not united knowledge with faith. “For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with who listened.” (Hebrews 4:2 ESV)
Still we have people who don’t understand the mystic union that comes when Jesus’ richness comes to live in us. Many pretend to know something that is a secret that can be discovered by just a few privileged. They don’t understand that Jesus’ plans are for everybody and it is mandatory to let them be taught because these things are not a mystery. “The mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” Colossians 1:26-28 ESV
“The one marvelous secret of a holy life is not imitating Jesus, but letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in our mortal flesh.” (O. Chambers) In order to obtain this manifestation it is unavoidable to listen well which is incumbent to a real Christian. This means that we should be patient, pure, humble, kind, service-minded and faithful. When Christ’s will is active in our daily lives, then our faith will start showing that we listened well.
Many times our idea of faith is understood as a mind attitude of accepting Jesus Christ as an authority and giving a testimony of Him but, faith is a lot more than that. Through Jesus we have been declared innocent and washed clean of all sins, and it is through redemption that we have been released from sin’s slavery. Christ, with His blood, bought our freedom.
“And we are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:24-26 ESV)
It is vital to listen and understand well the Word of God.
May God bless you.
