Are you listening? (Genesis 9-11, Mark 4)

The disciples were caught in a terrifying storm, it did not seem light and momentary! They thought they were going to drown.

When you’re in the middle of a crisis it can be hard to get perspective, you just need a way out.

Thankfully, they had Jesus in the boat and with just a couple of words He could silence the storm that had the experienced fishermen at their wits end. Yet after the storm was stilled they were yet more afraid, “who then is this, that even the wind and the waves obey Him.”

Knowing the answer to that question is what gives us the right perspective. Jesus is the one who has not only the wind and waves under control, but absolutely everything under control. The question is are we listening to him?

Too often we are like the men in the Genesis reading, trying to make a name for ourselves (Genesis 11:4) rather than listening to what Jesus says is best.

At the beginning of Mark 4 Jesus taught the now famous parable of the soils, He wasn’t giving a lesson on farming, but on listening. It’s a key question at the start of a new year. Who will we listen to? Jesus warns us there are many distractions to listening to Him, Satan will snatch the Word, the worries of this life may choke His Word out, or we may fear the opinion of others and so wither if they mock us for going Jesus’ way. But Jesus tells us the way to a fruitful life, the way to peace, the way to view present trials as light and momentary, is to listen to His Word and put it into practice.

How will you do that? Will you make it a priority to get to a church where His word is faithfully taught? Will you commit to read His word every day? Maybe there’s a Bible Study you could join where you can find others who will help you? Whatever you do this year, make sure you are hearing the voice of Jesus in His Word and paying more attention to Him than anyone else.