Yesterday I stood before the congregation as the one who would once again open the Bible and read. Each week I introduce the readings with the invitation, "Hear the Word of the Lord." I know another pastor who uses the phrase, "Listen for the Word of the Lord."
This morning, even I think, "What a small thing to comment on!" The reading itself is the important thing. At least for those who come. From other accounts, life seems to move along nicely without the reading for those who don't bother.
Facebook and Twitter give us entry bars to describe what we're thinking or doing at any moment. According to us, our status is most often shaped by what we see, what we have to do that we don't want to do, what we are eating, what the weather will bring today, who we're spending time with, and sometimes, what we're reading. Not so much on hearing God. Listening to God. Reading and hearing are different from one another. I am among those who claim that we need to hear. I need to hear. Among all the daily voices, all the input, all the fears and all the bravado, I need to hear God. Clearly. Often. So, I take the church up on its invitation and I'm thankful for being invited, because, when it comes to how I live my life, I'm committed to playing it by ear.
