“We cannot hear God if we are always speaking.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – February 27, 2025
And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Mark 4:9, NKJV
Mark 4 contains some of Jesus’ most well-known and beloved parables: The Parable of the Sower, The Lamp Under a Basket, the Scattered Seed, and the Mustard Seed. These simple stories, drawn from scenes of everyday life, seek to invite people deeper into the life of his kingdom and the truth that, in him, the kingdom is in their midst. These stories paint a picture of Jesus as the Sower who sows seed in abundance, holding nothing back and freely inviting all to receive the life he offers.
When a problem arises in these parables, it isn’t with the seed or the Sower but with the receptiveness of the soil.
Multiple times in this chapter, our Lord introduces another image to help us understand his teaching, that of the listening ear. As he says in verse 9, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Notice there is nothing in our Lord’s words or command that keeps us from hearing and understanding. We receive from him an unqualified blessing to hear his words – “Let him hear!” – always inviting us to welcome his good seed and allow it to grow within our hearts and lives. The question, then, is not one of the goodness or mercy of God but is directed at us: Do you and I have ears to hear?
On the one hand, the question is almost comical- what else do ears do if not hear? But as is often the case, our Lord uses simple imagery to invite us to consider deep and profound truths. Yes, you have ears that hear, but what do your ears hear? This question is not a statement of function but of attention.
Do you have ears to hear the still, small voice of the Lord? Do you have ears that are tuned to the values and virtues of his kingdom, or are they instead listening for affirmation or promises of wealth and power? Do your ears follow the seductive promise of worldly pleasure, or do they listen to the voice of the Master who invites you into fields of abundance and unending peace?
If you find yourself today in a season in which it’s difficult to hear the voice of the Lord, don’t be quick to assume that it’s because he is silent. You and I cannot manipulate or control the Lord. Yet we can control our response to him and our posture toward him. If he is speaking, I want to hear! And so, let us have the courage to tune out the lies and chaos that surround us, and may we have ears to hear the voice that spoke creation into being.
Prayer
Father, give us ears to hear your voice spoken over us in love, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Take time to grow in your ability to listen to the Lord in silence. Remember, we cannot hear God if we are always speaking!
Related Reading
Proverbs 2:1-2; Isaiah 30:21; Romans 10:17
Worship Resource
Steffany Gretzinger: There is None Like You
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