Full of It

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold. As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Luke 8:7-8 NIV

If this were a red-letter edition, our Promise for Today would be written in red because these are the reported words of Jesus. Many will recognize this from the Parable of the Sower where Christ talks about the seeds sown, and then He explains that the seed is the word of God (vs 11). 

We have the awesome privilege of caring for my youngest granddaughter this week. (Hence the change in schedule for posting.)  Her parents' focus for her right now is listening - the first time. "Are you listening?"  So, it is verse 8 that lights up for me today. As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

However, with ears to hear the whole story, think about what we hear in a day. I think about the old Sunday School song we used to sing, "Be careful, little ears, what you hear. There's a Savior up above watching over you with love. Be careful, little ears, what you hear."  (Do they still teach that song?) The point I'm trying to make is that we are pounded and pummeled all day long from outside sources, and not all of them are good. 

Just like we endeavor to guard our children's ears (and hearts), we should also guard ours! If faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, then what are we building with everything else that we hear? Doubt? Fear? Confusion? 

Luke 6:45 NIV tells us, A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.  Let's check ourselves. What are we speaking?

What are we full of - the Word or the world?

Prayer:

Father,
           Free us from the unholy that we hear every day through no choice of our own, and please forgive us for the unholy choices we have made of our own volition. Give us ears to hear only You so that what we speak will edify those who hear. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen