Hearing but Not Doing

Hearing but Not Doing                      

Do you praise God in church—mindful of the melodious words flowing through your lips? Do those words reverberate in your spirit, triggering gratitude for God’s amazing love and grace while arousing adoration that flow upward to your Creator? 

Perhaps you sing an old hymn like “I Surrender All” or contemporary lyrics such as “Here I am down on my knees again, surrendering all … I surrender.” *   

These moments may cause us to humbly do just that—surrender. With heartfelt awe, we give ourselves to God.

Was the sermon so powerful and beautifully articulated that you knew things were going to be different? “Things are going to change,” you tell yourself.

Then what happens when we exit the church or auditorium? When you sang, “I want to know You, Lord,”* you meant every word. But then the whole next week went by and you didn’t read anything more than a two-minute devotional while your unopened Bible did nothing more than gather dust?

Photo by Connie Wohlford

We cannot get to know our Lord well without spending quality time in His Book. Maybe you meant it when you sang, “Lord, have Your way in me,” * but without reading His Book, it’s hard to know what His way is.

Hearing but not doing is an age-old scenario with God’s people. About 2,600 years ago Ezekiel wrote about the Israelites having the same problem. 

God spoke these words to Ezekiel: “‘As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, “Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.” So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them’” (Ezekiel 33:30-33 NKJV).

You may ask, “What will come to pass? What is God talking about?” In the preceding verses of Ezekiel 33, God had told Ezekiel of the calamity that would befall the people if they did not follow God’s instructions. But, since that is not the theme of this post, I’ll not get go there. You can go read it for yourself if you wish. I will say, though, that the bad stuff did come to pass just as God prophesied through Ezekiel and it was not a pretty sight.

Just like those Israelites, we’re human beings with good intentions. We might show much love for God and for His spokesperson, our pastor. But then we turn and pursue what we believe is our own gain.

Let’s be mindful of the stirring words we hear in song or sermon and turn to actually do what we say we will do—those things God’s Word and His messengers teach us. Let the directives from the Holy Spirit not be little warm fuzzies but become a part of our very essence. Let us receive God’s truths as revelation rather than simple inspiration and “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14 NASB).

Instead of consequences let’s get rewards.  

Your comments are welcome.

©Copyright 2019 Connie Wohlford

* “I Surrender” – Hillsong Worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=s7jXASBWwwI