Are You Listening?

Jonah 1:1-2

“Boy, are you listening to me?” As a child, I often heard these words from my mother’s lips. I can vividly remember her calling me while I was deeply engrossed in whatever activity had my attention at the time. Most of the time, I heard what she said, but my attention was focused elsewhere. Other times, I was simply being disobedient.

The book of Jonah opens with the Lord giving clear instructions to Jonah. I want to give Jonah the benefit of the doubt and assume he heard what the Lord said, but his attention was simply focused elsewhere. Jonah says, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” (Jonah 1:9, NIV). If that is the case, then why did he neglect to do what the Lord asked?

There have been times in my life I have heard a clear word from the Lord and chosen to do something different. The Apostle Paul encourages us to be more like Christ, particularly when it comes to being obedient. Paul describes Jesus as being, “Obedient to death, even death on the cross.” —Philippians 2:8 (NIV)

Is the Lord telling you something, but your attention is somewhere else? Has the Lord told you to do something, but you refused to obey? My prayer today is that we will not only hear His voice, but follow His example and learn to become obedient.

– Don Davis, Former Patriots linebacker, 2-time Super Bowl Champion

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