Can You Hear Me Now?
We have discussed a lot about being able to see in the spiritual realms in recent weeks. The other side of that equation is needing EARS that hear, which was often an area on which Jesus would focus His disciples’ attention.
His use of parables (like word pictures) often would divide those who had “ears to hear” from those who did not.
How are your ears? Open? Closed? Muffled? Are your ears deceiving you? Can you “hear” Him? Let’s explore that today.
Hebrews 5:14 (ESV) says “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
And the KJV puts the second half of that verse this way: “…even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
To listen to the Podcast associated with this Blogpost, you will find it at this link:
Practicing our Spiritual Senses
Over the years, I have often heard a dear friend and Brother-in-Christ, Reverend Wayne Monbleau (https://www.lovinggrace.org) say that we needed to “practice our spiritual senses”. It’s almost as if that spiritual area needs as much strengthening and exercising as our physical bodies (and maybe more, as of utmost importance, really).
So just how do we “practice” those senses?
This will not delve completely into that HUGE question. First, though, it is extremely important to be in the Word of God OFTEN and routinely, even though that may be challenging at times. What He speaks in our hearts will not go against what He says in His Word, so knowing what is IN that Word is essential.
Senses
Speaking of “senses”, during the past few years, a big deal was made about people losing their sense of smell. I remember hearing something along the way about how to regain your sense of smell, or something like that. It seemed odd that it would be POSSIBLE to regain a physical “sense” unless there were natural HEALING (in my estimation, at least). It seemed that part of the approach was to “retrain” your sense of smell by introducing strong smells, etc. Sort of helping reroute the neurons to respond perhaps? I have NO CLUE whether that worked, and am absolutely NOT endorsing or espousing that thought.
Yet, as we discuss practicing our SPIRITUAL senses, I wonder how much of it has to simply be done by a SPIRITUAL HEALING, and then, if we can boost those “ears to hear” by using them and helping to become more sensitive to the “voice of the Lord” as we read scripture and spend quiet moments simply sitting at His feet and LISTENING.
Rattles
Let me tell you a little story that seems irrelevant, but illustrates a point pretty well and might make it easier to understand.
My husband hates rattles and buzzes. Whenever there is even a little vibration in the car or house, he seeks to stop it by touching or moving whatever is making the noise. Personally, I often don’t even NOTICE the rattle until he mentions it and then fixes it.
Recently, I DID notice a huge noisy rattle at the top of our stairs in the hallway outside the bathroom, that goes toward the bedrooms. It was not immediately apparent what was causing the noise. Knowing that my hubby would NOT want that cacophony, I walked around to see if it would become apparent what was causing it, getting louder as the culprit source became closer.
It was mystifying, however, that suddenly the noise stopped, but when walking back where I’d started, it was still making the racket. That was a new experience! And there was nothing obvious that I could move or touch that would stop it. I noticed it a few more times in the coming days. It happened only when the heat was turned on, only in one spot in the house, and only by one corner.
Unfortunately, it’s no longer happening (or I would make a little video to show it). Either my hubby must have found it and solved the mystery (never had mentioned it to him), or it stopped on its own after this little illustration became clear.
The oddest thing is that one time, while walking around that corner, the noise stopped as it had done, but as I turned the corner, it began again! Something was silencing the loud buzzing only in one position. Very mystifying indeed.
What is located on the wall at that end of the hallway is a light switch, our thermostat and our doorbell. It seemed clear that ONE of those was probably the culprit, most likely the doorbell, which was too high for me to reach.
In trying to figure out what could possibly cause that, it seemed that maybe there was a “noise cancelling” natural occurance at the corner? Who knows?
Food For Thought
And just WHY am I telling you this story, you ask?
Well, I tend to hesitate to look at things the way I’m going to right now, so take it ALL with a grain of salt. At the same time, the illustration is not lost on me, and it puts the following point about having ears “in the Spirit” into clearer focus.
The three things on the corner of that hallway wall, the LIGHT switch, THERMOSTAT and DOORBELL, seemed very ironic. Also the fact that the noise was right outside the bathroom, in the hallway leading to the bedrooms. We have spiritual hallways and corners to navigate all the time in our lives. There is sometimes a “racket” going on that can hinder our hearing (drowning other sounds out) or show us what needs to be “fixed”.
In the Spirit, sometimes the “heat” gets turned up in our lives, by trials, pain, confusion, etc. As discussed in the past few episodes, the Lord is really good at shedding LIGHT on things to help us know the way. And, there is a “doorbell” in the Spirit that would welcome us into His sheepfold if we are aware of the call and ANSWER the door. And by His blood, He washes away our sin, and He is right now preparing us a place for us in heaven, praise His name.
Now, this little illustration can’t be taken too far, but it really helps describe what happens to us sometimes. Life creates a racket and we try to find the answer. Some spiritual “sounds” are heard by some people, but totally don’t register at ALL for others. Maybe we’re standing in different spots. Someone standing where the sound stopped would think someone hearing the buzz right next to them was out of their mind and vice verse. Sort of how people sometimes think Christians are loony, as they worship the Lord or say that He is alive and well even today.
The other thing is that “noise cancelling” effect (if that’s truly what was going on, who knows?) That effect in recording software probably comes from a sound that is undesirable, being countered with an equal and opposite sound that cancels it out. (Not sure exactly how it works, but probably something like that.)
If you think of the noise of the world being heard on one side of the corner, and the sounds of the heavenly “Kingdom” on the other side, those two might cancel each other out in the center, and create a peaceful spot as the cacophony is silenced.
I don’t want to take the analogy too far (may have already done so, LOL;), but it is interesting food for thought.
Answer The Doorbell
So, again, how are your ears? Open; closed; muffled; deceiving you? Can you “hear” me now? Are you standing in a quiet spot thinking nothing in the Spirit is happening, wondering why others around you seem to “hear” so clearly that something is either very wrong or very right?
Would it be possible to find the spot where the “heavenly Kingdom” is singing strongly, and realize THAT is what will cancel out the noisy gong that the world is clanging loudly to distract you? Is the doorbell ringing?
Maybe get up and go ANSWER IT!
Food for thought, if nothing else.
If that rattle ever appears again, I’ll take a quick video and post a link below.
Now that I’ve written this out and put up the Podcast, my hubby will get this question: “Did you fix a rattle in the last week or two in the doorbell or thermostat?” What do you think will be his answer? (Probably “yes”, but if NOT, then I’m really going to be pondering for a while!)
The closing music for today’s Podcast episode (linked near the top of this Blog) is from a live version of my song called “Listen”. It’s about LISTENING to the Lord in many different ways. The recording is from a coffee house concert, so if you hear people talking or dishes rattling, that’s why. Hey, try to let the song drown out any distractions just like we were considering in this episode!
Here is a link (below) to the actual video, which was recorded years ago, and the song still rings true to this day… We need to have QUIET hearts to hear His gentle whispers. Get yourself into that little quiet corner, where His kingdom drowns out the chaos in the world around you, and LISTEN to His amazing voice in that stillness.
As Jesus said in Matthew 11:15, “He who has ears, let him hear.”