“Don’t just listen to God with the outer ear. That’s how things go in one ear and out the other. Give God a second hearing, with the inner ear. That’s how truth gets from your head to your heart of hearts.”- Mark Batterson
“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”- Isaiah 55:11
Mark Batterson continues Chapter 3 of Whisper as he notes the Latin word for obey, obedire, means “to give ear.” Consequently, obedience entails tuning into God’s frequency and cranking up the volume. And even if a thousand people scream something different, it means obeying God’s whispers.
Ultimately, genuine listening constitutes an act of submission. We submit to one another through thoughtful, patient, and careful listening. As Pastor Batterson adds, a relationship with God is no different.
Furthermore, Mark notes, the human ear possesses the mysterious capability to tune out certain sound while tuning in others. In other words, some things we listen to once, other things twice. Therefore, the author believes, Jesus’ exhortation – “Whoever has ears, let them hear” – refers to listening not once, but twice.
For in the gap between the first and second hearing we discern the promptings of the Holy Spirit in God’s spiritual whispering spots. When you discover your whispering spot, you’ll find it’s the place:
- you go to hear God’s whisper
- where His voice echoes loudest and longest
- where He speaks via healing and revealing, convicting and creating
In conclusion, Pastor Batterson underscores, whispering spots are a unique exception to the inverse-square law. According to this law, sound ought to delay in intensity as an inverse of distance. But, God’s voice isn’t subject to the inverse-square law. Unlike all other sounds, His voice doesn’t diminish over space and time.
Today’s question: What things block you from giving God a second hearing? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Consistency – the key to whispering spots”
