Jeremiah 2:1-2a - Don’t just hear, listen and pay attention

 Jeremiah began his ministry during King Josiah’s reign. We are told in 2 Chronicles 34 that Josiah ascended to the throne at age 8 and began to seriously seek the God of David his father at age 16. We are also told that it was only in the 12^th year of his reign that “he began religious reform by purging Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, the carved images, and the molten images.” 

The call of Jeremiah took place in the 13^th year of his reign. In other words, one year after Josiah had started religious reform that the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. Both of them were used for different tasks. While the king was used to reshape the nation's religious’ front, God commissioned Jeremiah to deal with the ingrained negative attitude of the people. For He knows that for deep and abiding change to happen, the attitude of the people needed to be reshaped.  

 

In Jeremiah 2:1, we read that the prophet was sent by God to go and proclaim to the people of Jerusalem.  Notice he was to proclaim to their ears. Interestingly, God has given each of us two ears to facilitate the entrance of His word. However, we need to know that more than hearing, God wants us to listen. Is there a difference between hearing and listening? Certainly! Hearing is the process of receiving sounds and being aware of sounds that pass through the ears. But listening is the process of making a conscious effort to pay attention to what is said to perceive the message, to understand it, and then to apply the message. God wants us to listen carefully to the message and not cursorily hear the sound.  

 

The lesson to take away is this, more than hearing, God wants us to listen and understand what He is saying. Each one of us must come to the Word of God with the desire and attitude of wanting to know what God is saying, understanding it, and then purpose to act on it. This is where we need to consider afresh and apply Ecclesiastes 5:1-2: “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.” Ever wonder why God gives us two ears but only one mouth? It is because He wants us to listen more than we speak. It is said that the difference between hearing and listening is paying attention. Are we paying attention to what God is saying?!