Listen to Him!

This morning I was reading from Mark, Chapter Nine.  There are so many things to think about and reflect on in every chapter of the Gospels, its almost impossible to really reflect on a whole chapter at once. That is why I read through the chapter and then think back over it and see which bit stands out the most in my recollection.  Often times it is not the one I would think going into the chapter.  This is just one of the many ways I have learned to listen to the Lord.  The verses that stood out to me today are the following - Mark 9:2-10 NIV:

[2] "After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. [3] His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. [4] And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 

[5] Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters---one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” [6] (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) 

[7] Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” 

[8] Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. 

[9] As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. [10] They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant."

The single verse that stood out to me this morning was verse 7, specifically - "a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"   The thought that ran through my mind when I read this was how interesting that God the Father would choose to say that last bit, of all the things He could have said!  I think this is obviously REALLY IMPORTANT! 

In looking at the other accounts of this event, we have very similar words.

Luke 9:35 NIV:  "A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”   

Matthew 17:5 NIV:  "While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

All three of the accounts end the Father's statement with the command to "Listen to him!"  I find it interesting that in my recollection of the different stories of the transfiguration, I remembered the first phrases, but not the last. I clearly need to get better at listening to Him.

In my reflection this morning, listening is the obvious focus!  This leads to the obvious question for those of us reading these words a couple thousand years later, "How do I listen to Jesus?" 

I am not an expert, that is for sure, but this is one of the things that I have worked on for the last 40+ years of my life, listening to Jesus.  I think it safe to say that if this was the last thing the Father said audibly about Jesus, we should probably pay attention to it.  I like to believe that if this is the Father's command, then it must be possible to listen to Jesus.  Secondly, if its possible to listen to Him then it is something I can learn to do, and even get better at it.

Listening for me includes all the following:

1) Actively taking time every day to quiet myself, focused just on my relationship with Jesus.

2) Reading Scripture and reflecting on it

3) Praying, which is really just having a conversation with Jesus, where I both speak and listen

4) Learning to discern what His voice sounds like, and the different ways He can speak

5) Reading about others who have learned to listen to Him, and how He speaks to them

6) Talking to other who follow Him, hearing how they hear the voice of the Lord in their lives

7) Working to be aware of His voice through out my day, and not just in my quiet time

8) Often reflecting at the end of the day, how I have encountered Him

9) Journalling my conversations, and interactions so that I can go back and read all that He has said to me

Each of the actions above could be broken into several sub-points, for I have discovered that listening to the Lord is a rich experience.  He speaks in so many ways, and I am working to be more attuned to each of the ways I have experienced Him speak.

This morning I am encouraged to make sure I "Listen to Him!"

Amen and Amen!