“And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: ’The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet ‘Go to this people, and say, ‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.’ For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 

 Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.’“

Acts 28:25-28 (ESV)

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JULY 4, 2025

Hearing, in the biblical sense, is one of the hardest parts of Christian discipleship and practice. We have a massive hearing problem. We live in a time of non-stop screaming media, news, social media, television, music, commercials, screens—and on top of that, planes, traffic, construction, power tools, and the almost constant voices of people. It’s a wonder we are still able to hear anything at all! Our hearing is beyond the point of overload. 

Theologians from previous generations warned of this, even calling out the problem in their own time. Yet now I would argue it’s so much worse. There is nothing more important to our ongoing growth and collaboration with the Holy Spirit than the ability to hear accurately.  

I recently heard some news that brought sadness to my heart. A dear relative who grew up going to church, who was baptized and used to love to read the Bible, walked away from the faith. She gave many reasons but one was that no one really knows how to understand and interpret the Bible because Christians spend all their time disagreeing. In her experience, Christians spend more time disagreeing with one another and others than they do listening to God’s voice, listening to God’s Word, and allowing the Spirit to transform them. They spend more time disagreeing than helping the most vulnerable, than loving their enemies, than loving one another.  

How many Christians today are not practicing shema? How many Christians today are hearing with their ears but not listening, not paying attention, not obeying, not acting upon God’s Word?  

What would it look like if we did? Paul, and the Holy Spirit, share with us what happens when we listen deeply to God: we will be healed. Did you catch that? We’re not healed because we prayed a prayer asking God to heal us (although sometimes that happens). We are healed when we listen, when we obey, when we do what Jesus tells us to do, and live how He tells us to live. When we surrender every part of ourselves to Jesus Christ, we are healed.  

 Questions for reflection and discussion:  

  • Spend some extended time praying for the Church. Pray that the Holy Spirit would help us to live a truly shema life.  
  • How well do you listen to God?  

 Church Reading Plan: Joshua 6; Psalm 135-136