“Hear Me, my people”

Hi! This is a call to listen. Well, these Scriptures were in my readings this week and there is such wonder in them that I knew, these were destined to be the next thing to write about.

First let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, these words are amazing and I want to hear, oh Lord please, open my ears and my eyes so I may not just hear but see as well. Oh what was it I read yesterday, Lord? Something about consistently, like every day, multiple times a day coming back to You, oh I can’t remember. I knew it was true though. So Lord, here I am, here we all are, you know who is here, so Lord, please, help us hear and help us see and inspire us all with the wonder in this reading. All the glory is yours, Lord. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

Psalm 81: What wonder it is. Just a few verses.

Psalm 81:8-16 NIV 
“Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—
    if you would only listen to me, Israel!
You shall have no foreign god among you;
    you shall not worship any god other than me.
I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
But my people would not listen to me;
    Israel would not submit to me.
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
    to follow their own devices.
If my people would only listen to me,
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
how quickly I would subdue their enemies
    and turn my hand against their foes!
Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Before you discount this as being for Israel of old, know that in Christ, we are Israel too. We are heirs according to the promise. What God says is for us too.

Let’s do this…
“Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—
I am the Lord your God,
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
If my people would only listen to me, and follow my ways,
how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!
Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Here is some proof of restoration in a story from ancient times. Just one of many examples.
2 Chronicles 33:9-13 NIV
9 But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.
10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 11 So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. 12 In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. 13 And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.

Here in 2nd Chronicles, we see a way back. Verse 12-13a That is what Jesus, our God, wants of us. Depend on Him. Trust Him. Talk to Him. Focus on listening. Read slowly while asking questions and listen. He loves to answer. He loves to communicate. I want ears that hear and eyes that see. For over and over and over in the Scriptures Jesus says “Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Thank You, Lord, for every promise in these two Scriptures. Draw me close and let it all come to pass. In Your holy name, I pray. Amen.