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Being Confident Of This

Grace for the work-in-progress woman

He Who Has Ears, Let Him Hear

June 14, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 13 Comments

Listen.

As I said the word aloud, my husband immediately responded with “He who has ears, let him hear.”

It’s a phrase repeated often in the New Testament by Jesus himself as He preached and taught.  As soon as he said it, I knew I would have to look it up in my new keyword bible to gain a better perspective.

Of course, looking up Greek roots is probably totally breaking the five minute friday rules and spirit, but I felt compelled, because when I heard the word listen, I immediately thought – I haven’t been listening.

I’ve been ignoring.

He who has ears, let him hear. What does it mean to really hear the Lord?  The truth is it involves much more than the act of hearing!

Then I thought of my children: how they frustrate me when I’m trying to get their attention and they act as if they haven’t heard.

I thought of how patient God is when I act like I haven’t heard.

So, I wanted to know more about this phrase: He who has ears, let him hear.

A quick search revealed that this phrase appears six times in the gospels and usually in the context of a teaching moment, whether with a large crowd or with his small band of followers, the disciples.

According to my NASB Hebrew-Greek keyword study bible, the Greek word akouo is  a verb used here meaning, “to hear” in various senses: one of those senses being hearing as an act of being informed and another being hearing as an act of learning.

In its primary sense, it means to hear as in to “perceive with the ears,” but other connotations include to listen, as in “to give ear to,” to pay attention to.  Even more, the word akouo also implicates “to give heed, to obey.”
He who has ears, let him hear. What does it mean to really hear the Lord?  The truth is it involves much more than the act of hearing!

Just as I expect my children to listen when they hear my voice, so God expects us to listen when we hear His voice.  Just as I expect my children to give ear to my words, so He expects me to give ear to His.

Furthermore, just as I expect my words to propel my children to action, so He expects His words to result in active obedience.

To hear is to listen; to listen, to learn; to learn, to obey.

Akouo.

He who has ears, let him hear!

Jen 🙂

It’s time for another Five Minute Friday! 🙂  I’ve really loved participating in this challenge as it stretches me as a writer.  Writing for five minutes with little to no planning and no editing frees me to just write, just let the words come forth on their own.  No over-thinking, no second-guessing.  I’m enjoying that freedom quite a bit!

Linking up at:

http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/

Filed Under: Christianity Tagged With: akouo, Christ-centered living, Christian living, Devotional Thought, ears, Five Minute Friday, Greek roots, he who has ears, hear, hearing, Jesus, listening, New Testament, obeying, teaching

Comments

  1. fireball3316 says

    June 14, 2013 at 01:24

    wow, that is fantastically profound and challenging! am i ignoring God when He is speaking to me??? eeeek! i want to have ears to hear! i was listening to a brian houston (hillsong pastor) the other night and he was talking about mentoring and about listening = heeding – that to really listen means that you listen and do…

    thank you for your post and the reminder it is!

    Reply
    • stultsmamaof4 says

      June 14, 2013 at 13:29

      Yes! I want to have ears to hear, too. I’m glad you visited today.
      Jen 🙂

      Reply
  2. MiaMia says

    June 14, 2013 at 09:09

    Dear Jen
    This is very interesting! Yes, I think we should ask our God for these kind of ears that not only listens, but hear and obey as well!
    Much love XX
    Mia

    Reply
    • stultsmamaof4 says

      June 14, 2013 at 10:34

      Mia,
      That was my exact prayer last night! Lord, let me hear – akouo. Thanks for stopping by.
      Jen 🙂

      Reply
  3. Val Young says

    June 14, 2013 at 11:19

    great post

    Reply
  4. Dave 'n' Becky Kersey says

    June 14, 2013 at 19:48

    Seems God is reminding a lot of us of this today! Thanks for another reminder!

    Reply
    • stultsmamaof4 says

      June 14, 2013 at 22:16

      You’re welcome! Sometimes I think I need to hear it every day! 🙂

      Reply
  5. fionacharisbrown says

    June 15, 2013 at 00:10

    I love love love knowing what the original greek means, so thank you for taking the time to do this. Fabulous!

    Reply
    • stultsmamaof4 says

      June 15, 2013 at 00:17

      Me, too! I think it adds so much to our understanding. I really love my new bible – it made the research so easy. Thanks for stopping by!
      Jen 🙂

      Reply
  6. Barbie says

    June 15, 2013 at 01:58

    Thanks for the Greek lesson! I want to not only hear God, but obey Him. Visiting you from the Five Minute Friday!

    Reply
    • stultsmamaof4 says

      June 16, 2013 at 22:29

      Amen, Barbie! I want to hear and obey, too. Thanks for visiting.
      Jen 🙂

      Reply
  7. Jennifer Flanders says

    June 15, 2013 at 19:17

    I found you through the Weekend Whatever Link-Up. You are so right. Listening is foundational to everything else we do. Thanks for the reminder that we need to model that behavior if we want to cultivate it in our kids.

    Reply
    • stultsmamaof4 says

      June 15, 2013 at 19:22

      Thanks, Jennifer! I’m glad you visited today.
      Jen 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Jen: a work in progress. I'm imperfect - a mom of four, pastor's wife, discipler, and sinner saved only by grace. I like to sing, read, write, teach, and smile. I have a heart for encouraging women everywhere to understand God's limitless love for them and what His grace means for everyday living. Welcome! :) Read More…

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