A WORD FOR TODAY, June 10, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, June 10, 2025
“He said, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.’” Mark 4:9, WEB
We listen to a radio show on Sunday mornings. It is a repeat of the top forty hits from sometime in the 1980’s with Casey Casem. The original show never talked about the year because it didn’t matter to the listeners, so my husband and I try to guess what year it might have been. We remember the songs based on places we lived or other aspects of our lives in the 80’s. I’m usually pretty terrible about guessing, but my husband has a decent memory and can usually come within a year or two. The modern announcer tells us the year occasionally during the show, including an opening introduction with the date. I usually get the radio turned on in time, and I try to focus so that I hear, then I can “guess” with knowledge. Unfortunately, I often tune out just when the announcer gives the date, and I miss it.
I know the radio is on. I hear what is being said with my ears. I recognize the voice of the announcer, but I’m focused elsewhere and do not comprehend what is being said. I determine each time that I will hear it this time, but I don’t. When my husband comes to the living room a few minutes later, I can’t tell him the year because I didn’t hear it. I hear with my ears, but not with my mind. I have no idea what he was saying. Sometimes I have a good excuse when I hear but do not hear, like when I am groggy from just waking up, or busy with something else, but most of the time I am purposely trying to listen and still tune out and miss what I want to hear. I wonder how often I hear someone talking to me, but I do not hear what they are saying. I might hear, but I’m not really listening.
In the verse for today, Jesus says, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.” I could have used this quote from several places in the Gospel. Jesus uses it after He tells a parable, calling our attention to the lesson He is teaching, not just the story. He wants us to really hear what He is saying, to hear it with our minds, not just our ears. As a matter of fact, Jesus wants us to hear it with our hearts, to make it part of who we are so that we will become more mature in our faith.
Jesus is not simply talking about using the flesh organs to hear the words spoken, but to hear what He is saying. Unfortunately, many of us have ears and we hear but we do not really comprehend. It is like we tune out our brains when we hear God’s Word. This is particularly true when we hear text that is very familiar to us. We hear the words, we recognize the voice, but we quickly forget what He has said. We go to church and hear the Word preached and receive the sacraments only to forget it all the minute we walk out of the door of the building. Jesus wants us to hear in a way that makes a difference in our life. He wants us to be transformed by His Word. He wants us to be prepared to go out in the world and face the temptations and opportunities that are waiting for us. If we only hear the words as in a dream, we’ll never be ready to tell the devil to go away or to tell the world about God’s mercy.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org