Scripture Study - Hear/Hearken

 1/9-10/24 - Hear/Hearken

God listens:

And God heard the voice of the lad; ... (Gen. 21:17) And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people ..., and have heard their cry...; for I know their sorrows; (Ex. 3:7) I have seen, I have seen the affliciton of my people ..., and I have heard their groanings, and am come down to deliver them. (Acts 7:34) ... if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (John 9:31)

We listen:

He that is of God heareth God's words: ... (John 8:47) He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matt. 11:15) ... Stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you. (Num. 9:8) Hearken unto me (Christ), ye that follow after righteousness, ... (2 Nephi 8:1)

Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear (reverence) the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: (Deut. 31:12) Now these are the commandments, the statues, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them... Hear therefore, ... and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, ... (Deut. 6:1, 3) Hear instructions, and be wise, and refuse it not. (Prov. 8:33) He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth (obey) reproof getteth understanding. (Prov. 15:32) ... Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in the quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. (Eccl. 9:16-17) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. (Matt. 7:24) But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. (2 Nephi 9:29)

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. God shall hear, ... (Ps. 55:17, 19) ... Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Cor. 2:9) And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; ... (Mosiah 9:18) And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given. (Mark 4:24)

But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are remembered among those whom the Father hath given me. (3 Nephi 15:24) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27) ... Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:37) ... the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. (Acts 10:44)

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (1 Tim. 4:16) Wherefore, my beloved brothren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: (James 1:19) Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words ..., and keep those things which are written therein: ... (Rev. 1:3) Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: And he will love thee, and bless the, ... (Deut. 7:12)

Behold, that which you hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness - in the wilderness, because you cannot see him - my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth; truth abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you it shall abound. (D&C 88:66) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev. 3:20) ... for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts; (D&C 29:7)

Insights: God hears our prayers, and will respond in His time and His way. There have been many times when I've asked for a specific help and it hasn't come right away or in the way I had expected the help to come. Yet, I have later realized that when His answer came, it was more perfect than what I had thought it was that I needed right then. Remembering the His will is always better than mine is challenging, but there is great hope in this and it can help us through some of the more challenging times in our lives.

We need to listen as well. God will speak to us, generally through the Holy Ghost, and in the quiet moments, but it is our responsibility to be quiet enough to hear Him. As we school ourselves to listen and obey those promptings that come, we are refined and given more from the Lord. Blessings will increase and our personal peace and joy will grow. Those promptings will be truth regardless of what the world says, and that truth will last forever -  longer than the flawed idea's of man will last. 

Ultimately, the Lord wants us to be with him. He gives us all we need, but we need to choose to listen and obey and if we do, He will bless us with all that He has. That is worth the sacrifice to find quiet moments each day to spend listening and then obeying.