We took my grandson last night to “Walking with Dinosaurs.” My experience was not good. It wasn’t the fault of the production, which was, to the best of my knowledge, pretty impressive. But a family of little “brats” sat behind us. They never shut up and kept kicking the back of my chair. My polite pleas for quiet and requests not to be “beaten” were all for naught. In short, I was so distracted that I could not absorb or “hear” the production.
We’re all familiar with Mathew 22:14, “”For many are called, but few are chosen.” Have you thought about what the difference is between the “called” and the “chosen?” All are called; some just aren’t listening. The “Chosen” are the ones who are listening. Some have no capacity to listen. The capacity to listen comes when we are born again. The New Man can hear what the old man can not. But even the New Man must practice his listening. We believe we hear God. We respond. We see that it was Him. The next time we are a bit more confident that it’s His voice we are hearing.
But sometimes, even when we have heard His voice, even when we know it and have responded to it in the past, we don’t hear Him. We are distracted. Sometimes Satan is like a little hyperactive kid, distracting us with noise and meaningless tappings on our shoulder.
We want to be chosen. We want to be like Nipper, known for knowing our Master’s voice. To separate ourselves from the merely called and to be part of the useful chosen: We must be His. We must practice responding to His voice. We must avoid the distractions of life so we can be focused and ready when He calls. There is work to be done. He’s sending out a call. Do you hear Him?
Avoid annoying kids and
Be blessed.
Nick
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