How's your hearing?

Can you hear like you used to?

I noticed my first hearing shift after nailing in 1000 square feet of 8" pine flooring, three nails across, every 2 feet. In the process of building our own house, I never thought to put in hearing protection. At the next piano concert, the difference was startling. I had lost an entire middle range of hearing. It was like wearing earplug in that sound bite.

Gradually, it's become harder to distinguish sounds. It's not so much that I can't hear, but that sounds have begun to run together. We notice this in people with hearing aids, to whom every noise is part of a whole. When we are young, it is easy to zone in and out between sounds.

Are some of us are losing our spiritual hearing as well? Were you on high alert as a spiritual baby? Was I trusting as a child, knowing that God had you in his hands? A fervent believer as a teen? A ready listener as a young adult or parent?

Has our hearing changed as life buffets us? Has the gap between your expectations and the reality of daily routines turned your ears to other voices? Have my disappointments hardened my eardrums so that God needs to poke me with a big stick as well as talk to me?

If so, in this week after Easter, let's turn our hearts and our spiritual hearing up! Let's consider the wonder of God's accomplishments at the cross and during resurrection. No other god is living and active on behalf of His people. No other god has DONE for us rather than constantly demanding that followers DO more and more. Our God fulfilled His justice by sacrificing Himself for us; we don't have to keep flagellating ourselves, obeying harder and higher rules to placate Him! How amazing is that!!!

From Real Simple Daily Thought

God looks at us through the sacrifice of Christ and is ecstatic at our relationship. He loves us without limit. Picks us up when we fall down. Dusts us off and encourages us to turn always, to listen always, to obey always ... for our good and an abundant life. No, this God is not like other gods!

God leaves the choice to you and me. Will we turn up our spiritual hearing aids by spending time in scripture, prayer, and the Community of faith?

Or will we pursue our comfortable, selfish agenda, never finding harmony, fulfillment, and peace?

Listen to that small still voice. What are you hearing today?

Read more:
*His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. Psalm 91:4 NLT

*The angels said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” Luke 24:5 NLT

Moravian Prayer: Hallelujah! The impossible has happened: the tomb is empty; Christ lives among and within us! May we see signs of resurrection in everything around us today. May we celebrate hope and new life: Christ is risen indeed! Hallelujah! Amen!