Day 215: Inside The Prison Walls: Listen, Listen, Love, Love
Read: Mark 12:28 - 34
Well, today there are just two words that have been placed on my spirit
- they are so very critical, so very important to what we are all about
as a community of believers, the Body of Christ in the world, that I
mention them twice each. Listen, Listen, Love, Love. We the people
have a story to tell. However the truth of the matter is that most of us
are not the least bit interested in listening to it. Truth also should
be told that to sit and listen to the story of everyone we encountered
is something most people are not prepared to do. Listening is not a
natural skill that many will claim. Yet, wonderful things happen when we consciously try to learn how to listen, to really truly listen, to another human being.
28 'One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing
that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the
foremost of all?” This scribe heard them arguing - and there is nothing
that attracts our attention quite like hearing an argument. Arguments
draw us into the conversation, peaks our curiosity, engages our ears in
the direction of the noise. The scribe listened carefully to what it was
Jesus and His unknown 'debaters' were debating about. He clearly did
not just listen to what was being said with his ears, but was likewise
engaging his heart. Why do that? Probably because the debate was about
Loving God and all of our neighbors. Listen to any debate about love?
Where are any of you in
this debate of Listen, Listen, Love, Love. Are any of you in the role of
the scribe - engaged in more than listening with your ears and your
mind? Wonderful things happen when we likewise learn to listen to
another human being - even Jesus, the Living Word, The Living God, with
our hearts too. We engage the one place in our lives that gets so often neglected when actively listening. Engaging those hearts of ours, engages our emotions and feelings, lends a different
ear that makes for a greater degree of identification with the speaker.
The speakers topic becomes clearer. Excitingly new relationships soon open up. We
become better disciples of Jesus Christ. We become a healthier body!
Listening on all levels, Loving on all cylinders to the most important message there is: "Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all
your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater
than these.” Listen, then listen again to the depth of the words "Hear, O Israel!" "Hear, O Body of Christ" Listen! Listen says the Lord your God! "There is a whole lot of loving that need to go on - loving with all of your heart, loving with all your soul, loving with all your mind, with all of your strength! Listen! Listen! Love! Love! Love! Love!"
Let Us Pray: Dear God, I feel an empty space within me, a place where I
would so love to love. I know that if my beloved Jesus came here, I
would adore and cherish, honor and serve him. Please give me the
opportunity to expand my heart into the life of another in the holiest
way, the most beautiful way, the most intimate way, if that serves your
purpose. For I would learn the secrets of love and use what I learn to
grace the life of another. What a marvelous possibility, Lord, that such
a treasure would be placed in my hands. Please do this. I will try my
best to Listen and to Love.
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: Mark 12:28 - 34
Well, today there are just two words that have been placed on my spirit - they are so very critical, so very important to what we are all about as a community of believers, the Body of Christ in the world, that I mention them twice each. Listen, Listen, Love, Love. We the people have a story to tell. However the truth of the matter is that most of us are not the least bit interested in listening to it. Truth also should be told that to sit and listen to the story of everyone we encountered is something most people are not prepared to do. Listening is not a natural skill that many will claim. Yet, wonderful things happen when we consciously try to learn how to listen, to really truly listen, to another human being.
28 'One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” This scribe heard them arguing - and there is nothing that attracts our attention quite like hearing an argument. Arguments draw us into the conversation, peaks our curiosity, engages our ears in the direction of the noise. The scribe listened carefully to what it was Jesus and His unknown 'debaters' were debating about. He clearly did not just listen to what was being said with his ears, but was likewise engaging his heart. Why do that? Probably because the debate was about Loving God and all of our neighbors. Listen to any debate about love?
Where are any of you in this debate of Listen, Listen, Love, Love. Are any of you in the role of the scribe - engaged in more than listening with your ears and your mind? Wonderful things happen when we likewise learn to listen to another human being - even Jesus, the Living Word, The Living God, with our hearts too. We engage the one place in our lives that gets so often neglected when actively listening. Engaging those hearts of ours, engages our emotions and feelings, lends a different ear that makes for a greater degree of identification with the speaker. The speakers topic becomes clearer. Excitingly new relationships soon open up. We become better disciples of Jesus Christ. We become a healthier body!
Listening on all levels, Loving on all cylinders to the most important message there is: "Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Listen, then listen again to the depth of the words "Hear, O Israel!" "Hear, O Body of Christ" Listen! Listen says the Lord your God! "There is a whole lot of loving that need to go on - loving with all of your heart, loving with all your soul, loving with all your mind, with all of your strength! Listen! Listen! Love! Love! Love! Love!"
Let Us Pray: Dear God, I feel an empty space within me, a place where I would so love to love. I know that if my beloved Jesus came here, I would adore and cherish, honor and serve him. Please give me the opportunity to expand my heart into the life of another in the holiest way, the most beautiful way, the most intimate way, if that serves your purpose. For I would learn the secrets of love and use what I learn to grace the life of another. What a marvelous possibility, Lord, that such a treasure would be placed in my hands. Please do this. I will try my best to Listen and to Love.
http://www.youtube.com/
Yield My Heart - Kim Walker-Smith w/ Lyrics
www.youtube.com
Yield My Heart by Kim Walker-Smith with lyrics. This video is good to use for both personal and group
Very good. Listening is a gift and I need to work on this gift as well as loving others more. Thanks!
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