“To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” (Matthew 13:12 NLT)
Steven Covey said: “The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand, we listen to reply.” Often, I hear someone say some version of: “I read the Bible, but I can’t understand it.” Admittedly, there are portions of Scripture that are difficult to understand at a casual reading, but every part of the Bible is understandable to those who are willing to pay the price of praying, listening, studying, researching, and doing some digging.
For years, even as a Pastor, because of what I perceived as not enough hours in the day, I would go to my favorite commentaries and make the assumption that the author did their research, so, I’ll accept their conclusion! Bad idea! Why? Not because they necessarily are wrong in their conclusions, but we rob ourselves of what the Lord has to say to US through that verse or verses.
My approach now is to listen to the Lord and record my thoughts, THEN go to the commentaries. Many times, the Lord says essentially the same thing to me as He did to the authors of the commentaries, but sometimes He will give me an insight into something specific He wants to say to me. For example, I love the story in Mark 5 about the demon possessed man who ran naked and screaming, bowing before the Lord. After the Lord delivers him, gives him clothes and restores his mind, the man, quite understandably, wants to follow Jesus, but in verse 19 Jesus told him “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been.”
We have no timetable, so we don’t know for sure how long the man had been suffering, and at what point his presence in his home became unbearable for his family. What ultimately was the tipping point that sent him into isolation? Perhaps the Lord gave him insight into the potential he had to seriously hurt his wife and/or child(ren) without any intent to do so.
In my mind’s eye, as the Lord is speaking to this man, I see the Lord’s eyes look over the healed man’s shoulder to lock eyes with a desperate, yet very likely, doubting young woman in the now growing audience. As the Lord knows, it’s this man’s wife who has held out hope for only the Lord knows how long, that one day her husband may come home.
I imagine the man’s shock as he turns to walk away, only to come face to face with his bride, whom he feared he’d never see again. As they, hesitantly at first, embrace, he pleads with her to forgive him and allow him to come home. As they weep, I can see them holding each other as if they’d never let go. The years that have been lost, can’t be replaced, but I sense in my spirit that whatever time they had left together would be lived to the Lord’s honor and fame. Obviously, this is all conjecture, but I look forward to meeting this man in heaven and hearing his story.
Here’s the problem – if we don’t take time to use our sanctified imagination the Bible will never come to life for us. We won’t be able to see our pain in the lives of the Biblical characters, but more importantly, we’ll miss the healing and wholeness the compassionate Savior has for us, just like those He healed and made whole in His holy Word.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 