I suspect that most of us will have experienced the frustration of speaking with someone, who you know is not listening to you. They might be giving the impression that they are, but their body language and comments proves that they are not! It is so much easier and encouraging to speak to those who give you their full attention.

During my working life, I spent a great deal of time leading training courses for prospective senior managers in schools. One of the most interesting modules in these courses was, ‘The development of active LISTENING skills’. It is demoralising to work for a senior manager, who does not actively listen to you.

We will discover this week that the Bible teaches us the importance of LISTENING to what God says to us.

Sound advice is to be found in the Book of Proverbs: ‘Cease LISTENING to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge’, Proverbs chapter 19 verse 27. The moment we stop LISTENING to the instruction / correction of God’s Word, we will soon discover that we are just a short step away from straying from its truth.

God made a precious promise to His people, the children of Israel, when He delivered them from slavery in Egypt: ‘If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, and GIVE EAR TO (LISTEN TO) His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of His diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you’, Exodus chapter 15 verse 26.

On eight occasions in the Book of Revelation, John challenges his readers with the same words, ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says . . .’, Revelation chapter 2 verses 7, 11, 17, 29; chapter 3 verses 6, 13, 22; chapter 13 verse 9. LISTENING with the physical ear is the pathway to spiritual blessing. Indeed, LISTENING with one ear is enough, as long as there is a willingness to obey! Are you prepared to LISTEN actively and obey?