shhhh

I submit to you two passages of scripture:

• Matthew 17:1-5:  Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them privately up a high mountain.  And he was transfigured before them.   His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.  Then Moses and Elijah also appeared before them, talking with him.  So Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make three shelters – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said,  “This is my one dear Son, in whom I take great delight. Listen to Him!”   
• Mark 12:28-31:  Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”  Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

Two remarkable moments, very different in circumstance, but identical in implication:  our greatest responsibility is to listen to Him. 

Consider the details:

• In Matthew, Jesus climbed a mountain with His three closest friends.  His face started shining and His clothes turned white.  Moses and Elijah came out of nowhere and started talking to Him and then a voice appeared from a cloud.  At that moment, I imagine the Lord had a captive audience.  He could have told them to do anything and Peter, James, and John would have readily obeyed.  But He said only one thing, “Listen to [My Son]”.   Peter was a doer – let’s build 3 tabernacles, let’s walk on the water, let’s cut a soldier’s ear off.  He had to be reminded (as do I) of the value of listening before doing.
• In the Mark passage, Jesus was engaging in conversation with some of the religious folk who were asking all sorts of questions, trying to trap Him with His own words.  An expert (teacher) in the law happened upon the scene and noticed that Jesus was answering them all blamelessly and joined in the discussion, asking, “what is the greatest commandment?”.  Enter another captive audience…Jesus had been perfect in His answers up until this point, how would He respond to that?  How could you possibly choose one commandment as paramount?  “The most important is: listen…”  Listen?  Listen.  And then love. 

From this listening a love is naturally birthed.  The two are intricately woven together as the greatest commandment.  To listen is to live life with a stethoscope affixed to my ear and extended to the heart of God…to hear His heartbeat for the nations, for my neighbor, for me.  This kind of listening is continual and active.  Like faith, which requires works, love requires listening to be sanctified.  

So once again, I am challenged with this command to listen.  I know that I am dependent upon His voice for my every breath and decision.  My faculties are not sufficient for a solo navigation of this life to which He has entrusted me.  He has shown us His tendency to be found in the still small voice or in the simple things that confound the wise.  Why would I be so proud as to think that I could listen without slowing down, without removing distractions, without focusing solely on Him?  He makes known the path of life.  In His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore.