Listen

Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him!” Even as the voice spoke, Jesus was found alone. They were speechless and at the time told no one what they had seen.

Luke 9:35-36

Think

Fifth grade, Mr. Cherry’s classroom. I still remember the lesson on listening. He gave us a test that was daunting. It seriously would have taken the whole hour. He said some words as he handed us the test. I looked at it, read the first few lines, and took to work. I’d have to hurry to make it through this beast of a test. After we had worked for a good while, I noticed some in the class were finished. Finished? I felt like I had barely started. Then I realized the words he said when he gave us the test. “Read all the instructions before you begin.” Somewhere in those instructions, it said that we only needed to sign our name. Not only did I not finish, I also did not listen.

As Moses and Elijah shrink back into the communion of saints, the cloud’s voice says simply, “Listen to him.” Can it really be this simple? Have I complicated the whole experience? Many times, the answer is yes. Just listen. Just Jesus.

Byron Vance

Pray

O God, I admit that too often my life gets ahead of my listening.

Open my ears to hear what you say to me today and then, as you lead, to act.

Amen.

Go

Go into this day

with all your senses tuned

to experience glimpses of God’s glory

in your every day.