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Listen while you read: "Forth In Thy Name"1
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Mark 6:20 – Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. (NIV)
Being a Scottish preacher in American churches can be quite novel at times. For some reason, folks like to listen to my Scots accent because they find it to be quite lyrical. I used to think that this was a great thing and relished each time I was asked to preach in a different pulpit. Over the years, however, I realized that my accent could sometimes get in the way of the gospel message. People in the pews liked to listen to how I preached but didn't absorb the sermon. Sometimes at the church door after the worship service, someone would say, "I loved your Scottish accent, but I didn't understand what you said."
King Herod may have felt much the same with John the Baptist. The cruel king had imprisoned John for preaching against his marriage. Herod's wife was greatly offended, so Herod had the fiery preacher arrested and thrown into a jail below his palace.
Herod, however, did not neglect John. He liked to listen to the preacher, although he didn't fully understand what John talked about. Perhaps the prophet preached on the kingdom of God, which Herod would think rivalled his own sovereignty. Or maybe John talked about repentance for being sinful, which Herod totally ignored. Whatever the case, Herod appears to have missed his opportunity to be reconciled to God. He liked listening to John, but he may have never truly heard a word which could have changed his life forever.
Some folks are like that, too. They know about Jesus and have perhaps listened to some of His teaching. Unfortunately, instead of fully embracing Him as their Saviour and Lord, they just label Him as another historical holy man whose sermons were quaint and applicable to the past, but not relevant in today's world. In other words, they listen, but do not hear, which is why Jesus told His listeners, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Mark 4:9 NIV)
Point to ponder: Do I like just listening to what Jesus has to say, or do I hear how His words challenge me to change my ways?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to be truly open to Your gospel message and holy teachings. Challenge our lives so that we may change our ways by applying Your Word in our daily lives. In Your holy name, we humbly pray. Amen.
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About the author:
John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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Listen, Hear, Act.
Thanks for the challenging word, John.
Thank you for the lesson and for your story. How we need to keep on listening and understanding.
Hello,
Be proud of your Scottish accent. It’s beautiful. Have a great day,
(TX.)
Thank you for giving us the word, the truth of God especially if it is decorated with the lacy gift of a beautiful accent. Help us give praise to God and hide your servant behind the cross.
Great! I was a speaker for Christian Women’s Clubs in Canada and always got a warm welcome in the US because of my Glasgow accent! Bless you John!
(BC)
Thank you, John, I must admit to being entranced by the Scottish accents of several preachers I listen to. But thankfully, I can usually understand their message. It’s easy to get distracted, even when we’re reading the Bible or praying, so your message is a thoughtful reminder.
Hi John,
Thank you for this great devotional. I too have an accent and often wonder if those who listen to me really understand what I am saying. When we ministered in Guyana it was reciprocal in that I did not understand their dialect either.
God bless.
Always appreciate your messages. (and I feel they haven’t fallen on “deaf ears!”)
Without looking at the name of the Author of the message, I always know it is you, after reading one or two sentences.
Thank you!
(Ontario, Canada)
As always – a REALLY great point. Do you think that those who don’t ‘hear’ have not had the opportunity to ‘accept Jesus as their Saviour’? In other words, they are UNABLE to hear because they have not actually ‘died to their past and been raised IN Christ’? If they don’t have the Holy Spirit of Christ within, is it even possible for them to ‘hear’ HIS voice, HIS Word, HIS comfort, HIS guidance?
Good afternoon, John!
Thank you for your message today. After listening to it and reading it, I instantly thought about Revelations 3:11 and 13 (NIV) “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Blessings!
Good morning, John,
Your devotional follows yesterday’s nicely of David hearing a parishioner’s message and learning from it. Sometimes I think we don’t hear or understand because we are not ready for that message yet in our faith journey. God opens our ears when he knows we will get it. I sometimes think about how many times I have heard something, but didn’t get it until something happened, which did actually allow me to understand. It is like the peeling of an onion until I grasp what God want me to hear and do. I do love listening to a Scottish accent, so I understand the draw of it. I know also sometimes I hear God’s message, but I don’t follow through.
A devotional which cause us to think and wonder, helps our faith mature. I join in your prayer asking God to help me change my ways. Blessings.
Amen and amen! Thanks for sharing. Blessings.
Hi Sharon
Love the analogy!
Did you know that in biblical times when a host would pour wine in a guest’s glass until it overflowed, that it would be seen as a message to stay longer? That’s the kind of message God has for each of us… to stay longer (eternally) in God’s presence!