The Blessing of Hearing

“And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!’ But He said, ‘More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” (Luke 11:27-28)

                It’s one thing to listen, and it’s another thing to act on what you’ve heard.  For instance, you can hear someone say “the building is on fire,” but if you don’t get up and exit the building then you’re destined to go down in flames.  You can hear a nurse call your name in a waiting room, but if you don’t get up from your seat you won’t see the doctor.  This principle holds true for our Christian faith.  It’s one thing to hear the Word, but obeying its counsel if another matter altogether.

                After Jesus exorcised demons from a man who had been possessed, a woman from the crowd cried out, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”  Clearly the woman was trying to worship our Savior, but Jesus used her praise as an opportunity for truth.  “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”  That’s quite a statement!  The virgin Mary was blessed indeed, but no more blessed than those who believe and obey the Word of God.

                Clearly it is a blessing to hear the Word of God.  There aren’t too many things I love more than hearing the Bible read publicly or listening to a biblical message.  But if the blessing stops there, then we won’t receive all that God intends for us to have.  James said, “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”  You’re lying to yourself if you think you’ll experience the favor of God without obedience to His Word.  Today, be a hearer AND a doer of the Word.  You won’t regret it!