To Whom Do We Listen?

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 3:52 pm Post subject: To Whom Do We Listen?

To Whom Do We Listen?

Scripture:

The Lord your God will raise up to thee a PROPHET of your nation and of your brethren like unto me: him you shall hear: As you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb, when the assembly was gathered together, and said: Let me not hear anymore the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see anymore this exceeding great fire, lest I die. And the Lord said to me: They have spoken all things well. I will raise them up a prophet out of the midst of their brethren like to you: and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. And he that will not hear his words, which he shall speak in my name, I will be the revenger. But the prophet, who being corrupted with pride, shall speak in my name things that I did not command him to say, or in the name of strange gods, shall be slain.
(Deuteronomy 18:15-20)

But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord: how he may please God. But he that is with a wife is solicitous for the things of the world: how he may please his wife. And he is divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinks on the things of the Lord: that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married thinks on the things of the world: how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your profit, not to cast a snare upon you, but for that which is decent and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord, without impediment.
(1 Corinthians 7:32-35)

And they entered into Capharnaum: and forthwith upon the sabbath days going into the synagogue, he taught them. And they were astonished at his doctrine. For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying: What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. And Jesus threatened him, saying: Speak no more, and go out of the man. And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying out with a loud voice, went out of him. And they were all amazed insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying: What thing is this? What is this new doctrine? For with power he commands even the unclean spirits: and they obey him. And the fame of him was spread forthwith into all the country of Galilee.
( Mark 1:21-28 )

Reflection:

As the Lord looked over the children of His creation, He saw that many decided to choose their own way. Though God created them with an innate desire to know Him, they struggled in their discernment and made gods in their image and fell to evil ways. Through Moses, God communicated His commandments to His chosen nation. He commanded them that they were not to turn their children over to human sacrifice or seek the ways of diviners. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) He gave them His commandments by which they may share in love of Him and one another. (Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21) The people implored Moses to be their mediator, one who would receive the Word and interpret for them what God asks of them. (Exodus 20:18-21, Deuteronomy 5:22-32)

Moses told the people, in response to their fear of hearing the voice of God and so they would not turn to the counsel of soothsayers and diviners, that God would raise up a prophet like Moses through whom God would speak and instruct the people. All was well until increasing numbers failed to remember the trials of days past and decided they preferred ways of their making. To satisfy their desires, they raised up their own prophets and false gods. In the image of evil, they made them. They persecuted and killed the prophets of the Lord until only one remained who stood to expose the false prophets made by men. (1 Kings 18:1-39)

Such cycles of history continue as hearts wander. The generations fail to learn the lessons of generations past. We might wonder, how is it the people forget the blessings they receive from God such that they so easily turn to evil ways? How is it so many are seduced to follow false prophets who speak to manipulate those blinded by the world? How is it they seek power from gods which do not exist, yet deny the God who created them? How is it they turn from the God who loves them and desires to prepare them for a place within His kingdom where love is shared by all?

From the first encounter with the serpent in the garden, the children of His creation have allowed themselves to be seduced and deceived into disobedience of the commandments of their Creator. (Genesis 3:1-6) Through His mercy, God has offered His forgiveness, but so many continue to turn away. They allow opportunities for happiness to be torn from them as they turn to concerns of the world over the concerns of their eternity.

Though so many ignore His prophets, God continues to reach out to the children of His creation so they might listen and learn the blessings which may be shared by those who keep His commandments. So that the children of His creation might receive the full revelation of His Word, He sent the Word made flesh; the only begotten Son of God. (John 1:14) Jesus walked among the people with civility, compassion, caring, and the charity of forgiveness and healing. He brought to the people the fullness of the Word, still, so many failed to understand, so many remained blinded by the world.

We might wonder, as the generations reject the prophets of God, as they reject even His only begotten Son, we might wonder, why does God continue to reach out to us? Why does He knock at the door to the heart of every child of His creation? The answer is, love.

Our Lord made us in His image, with the capacity to reason, but more importantly, with the capacity to love. If we understand this, we might also wonder, how is it we so easily turn away from Him? How is it we are so easily seduced away from His blessings? How is it we so easily reject the wonders of His love?

It need not be so. We have the choice as to whom we will listen. We have the choice to listen to His prophets. We have the choice to listen to His only begotten Son. We have the choice to listen to the teaching arm of His church. In prayer, we may ask Him to guide us. The choice is ours; therefore, the questions we should ask ourselves each day we wake are; to whom shall we listen and what path shall we choose?

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways may we find what God has spoken to the generations?

What pursuits and relationships seduce us away from a relationship with God?

What opportunities do we have to learn from the Son of God?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier