Hear the Message December 8, 2015

Read Psalm 85:8-13

Romans 10:17      Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Job 42:5     My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.

Galatians 3:2     I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?

Galatians 3:5     So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

Colossians 3:16     Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

1 Thessalonians 2:13     And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

In my devotional time, my habit has always been to read the scripture quietly to myself. But recently I found myself needing to reread each passage several times. I began to realize I was just allowing my eyes to scan across the page. I was not really paying attention to the passage, and I definitely was not hearing its message. So I began to read the scripture out loud. But as I did, I noticed that I would inadvertently change a word, skip a word, or even insert a word. I realize that I must have skipped even more words when reading silently. No wonder I’d had trouble getting the message before!

Reading aloud also gives me the opportunity to add expression to the scripture. It allows me to hear and feel the emotions of the passage. It has become easier to understand the message because I am able to hear God’s word to me.

We may have the opportunity to hear God’s word many times during the week: during worship services and Bible studies, in the songs we sing, when we read our daily devotions. When we hear and begin to understand God’s message, our faith surely grows stronger.