Hearing His Voice #282

[Jesus said,] “That is why I use these parables, for they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.”

Matthew 13:13

Jesus’ words are deep and insightful, but it doesn’t take an advanced degree to understand them. The key issue is not intellectual; it’s spiritual. Some analytical minds may not be able to decipher the true meaning of Christ’s teaching, but that really isn’t the point. Christianity is not a mental exercise. Following Jesus is a matter of the heart.

Jesus’ teaching—and the voice of God in general—always comes to us with a context and a choice. It’s no coincidence that Jesus’ explanation of why He spoke in parables came right after the parable of the sower. It’s a story about the condition of the hearer’s heart, and Jesus’ explanation about the purpose of parables picks up the same theme. Some people have hearts to hear; others don’t. Some are looking for a reason to believe; others are looking for a reason not to. The Lord’s words are always clear enough for those with open hearts to understand, and always obscure enough that those with closed minds will not be able to understand them. Truth always requires some level of faith and humility in order to receive it.

That’s true of anything God says, not just the teachings of Jesus in Scripture. If you are looking for purely objective, rational, analytical, unquestionable words from God, you will be disappointed because you are actually looking for a way to hear that requires no faith. If, however, you are willing to go with the flow of the Spirit and trust yourself to His leading, even when it seems subjective, you have opened your heart to hear. His words aren’t illogical, but they are certainly extralogical—above our ability to reason. If we can accept that, we can embrace the deep truths of His Kingdom.

Lord, You don’t want me to turn off my brain. But neither do You want me to reject any word from You that doesn’t fit my logic. I give You permission to blow my mind with the things You want to tell me.