Alright please pay attention. You have heard and used the word “pay attention” before. The word pay there shows you that you have to give up something to actually be attentive. If you are in a noisy environment and you are having a conversation with a friend, you will have to focus on your friend’s voice and tune out the other noises around you so that you can be attentive. Proverbs 4:20-22 tells us that if we are attentive to God’s word then we will live a healthy life. So paying attention pays.
To incline your ears means to prick up the ears like when a dog’s ear stand erect so that he can hear with ease. This shows that we can decide what we want to listen to intentionally. You can be in a crowd where people are talking loudly and you are just minding your own business trying to move through the crowd but all of a sudden you hear your name! You will probably begin to focus your attention from where you believe the sound of your name came from compared to the many other names being mentioned in the crowd.
So we can choose to be sensitive to God’s word; to give it attention. If we choose not to, the world will drown out His voice. The average Christian has given away their attention span to the world’s attractions and amusements rather than give it to the alpha and the omega; the almighty God. If you are not giving full attention to God’s word, you most likely will be living your life outside His will which will lead to a life of regret.
What is the loudest voice in your life? It is the person that has the strongest say in your life. If it is your mother, then whatever she says becomes law to you. It does not have to sound right or logical. As long as it is from her, you believe it is right. What is the loudest voice in your life? It is the person that sets the standard in your life. If your mother says “All black people are wise” then you will live your life based on that, whether it is right or wrong. If anyone goes contrary to it, an argument can come out of it. Two individuals can read the same scripture and get two contrary interpretations. Check who they listen to.
The loudest voice in your life should be God’s word. Whatever or whoever is the loudest voice in your life becomes the one you follow and the filter through which you respond to life. Your attention should be more on the scriptures than any person. I have mentors and pastors I listen to through which their teachings have made me grow spiritually but when they speak, I go back to check the scriptures if what they are saying is true.
In 1 Samuel chapter 3, God spoke to Samuel but he kept on running to Eli when he heard his name. Why is that? It was because the only voice he recognized in his life was Eli. At the third time Samuel came, Eli then realized that there is the voice to hear which is the Lord’s and advised him accordingly. All Samuel could hear was his name but once he shifted his attention to the Lord, it turned to a conversation. From then on he began to know the Lord with ease. You will have a hard time knowing the lord if you do not give attention to his word. Once you shift your attention to the word then your relationship with God will grow.
God told Samuel what He was going to do in Eli’s sons. My question is why did God not speak to Eli directly concerning what he will do? He actually did before (1 Samuel 3:13) but Eli was not listening anymore. His two sons had become the loudest voice in his life thereby making him dull of hearing. If you want to live a life full of victories then giving full attention to the word is the way. If concerning your body, your doctor is the loudest voice then you better forget about freedom from sickness. You may say drugs were made by God after all. Yes, that is true but where in scriptures did you see divine health being achieved by taking drugs? It is called divine health because it is supernatural. Jesus succeeded against the devil with scriptures. What makes you think you can do it any different? Give attention to God’s word and his will for you will manifest itself gloriously.