Systemic Deafness

Jeremiah had a tough assignment as a prophet. God told him to go to the people who had deserted Him, as was evident by the multitude of sins they were committing without restraint, without any care about God’s law or having any fear of the consequences of stealing, committing adultery and worshipping false gods. They had had plenty of opportunity to hear the voice of the Lord but had blocked up their spiritual ears with the hardened ‘wax of rebellion’.

I have just read the first seven chapters of Jeremiah and been amazed at how accurately Jeremiah was not only describing the spiritual climate of his day, but describing the world in which we live, where the authority of God’s Word has been replaced by ‘my truth’ and the new creed simply says ‘I believe what I believe’, irrespective of whether or not it is congruent with God’s Word to mankind.

Our Scripture for today prompted me to ask some very personal questions and to seriously examine my own heart about what issues there might be that God has spoken to me about again and again. I was reminded of the many people who have had to face reality about themselves but, sadly, at a time when they have missed many years of opportunity to serve the Lord they professed to love. Sometimes, when people close their ears to the loving entreaties of the Lord, He has to get our attention in other ways. They may, for example, have run into a spiritual brick wall which God, in His mercy, has used to help them see the truth about themselves.

My prayer today is that many of you reading this Seed of the Kingdom will take time out with the Lord to ask Him to show you if you’ve been closing your ears in any way to what He might have been saying to you. And then listen out to hear His voice afresh as you prepare yourselves to live the rest of your life, not in any form of rebellion against the Lord, but in joyful fellowship and relationship with the God who loves you more than anyone else could ever do.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for your patience in taking time to speak into my life. Forgive me, I pray, for the times I have been reluctant to hear Your voice and have closed my ears to Your words. Help me, Lord, to humble myself before You and listen afresh to what You are saying to me through Your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.