Thought for January 23, 2024

•  1789: Georgetown University founded as the first Catholic college in the US
• 1821: Lott Carey sails to Sierra Leone as the first African American missionary to Africa
• 1945: Nazis execute Helmuth James von Moltke saying, “the only thing wrong with you is you are a Christian."
• 1957: The first Frisbee is produced
• 1973: Nixon announces the end of the Viet Nam War
• 1976: Ann Landers asks people with children if they would become parent again knowing what they know now—70% of 10,000 respondents said "no"
• 1986: First Rock N Roll HOF class--Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley
• 2018: 12 camels disqualified from a camel beauty contest for using Botox on their lips
• Born: John Hancock, Eduard Manet, Randolph Scott, Potter Stewart, Gertrude Elion [developed treatments for leukemia and herpes], Ernie Kovacs, Sully Sullenberger, Mariska Hargitay, Kevin Mawae, Bill Trivett
• Died: Arthur Guinness [brewer], Phillips Brooks ["O Little Town of Bethlehem"], Edvard Munch ["The Scream"], Paul Robeson, Salvador Dali, Thomas A Dorsey [Father of Gospel Music], Nell Carter, Johnny Carson, Jack LaLanne, Ernie Banks

Thomas Dorsey wrote gospel songs. He inspired Mahalia Jackson and James Cleveland. In August 1932, he was leading music in St. Louis when he received the call that his wife, Nettie, is dead. After driving all night to Chicago, he found both his wife and baby son had died. He said, "I began to feel that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him anymore or write more gospel songs." The next Saturday, Thomas reported a "strange feeling" -- a sudden calm and stillness gripped him. "As my fingers began to manipulate over the keys, words began to fall in place on the melody like drops of water falling from the crevice of a rock." Thomas wrote:

"Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me stand

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn

Thru the storm, thru the night

Lead me on to the light

Take my hand, Precious Lord, lead me home

When my way grows drear, Precious Lord linger near

When my life is almost gone, hear my cry, hear my call

Hold my hand, lest I fall

Take my hand, Precious Lord, lead me home

Thought:

Yesterday we looked at the healing of a man who was mute. Today I am reading a similar story in Mark 7. Jesus has been to the area of Tyre and Sidon along the Mediterranean Sea and outside Galilee. Now He returns to the Decapolis--look at your map. The Decapolis is on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, probably 60 miles from Tyre. Here, Jesus encounters a man who was deaf and had difficulty speaking.

Yesterday, I asked if you ever had a problem with your tongue. Today, the question for me is, Larry do you have a hearing problem. Jan would certainly say yes. Maybe you are afflicted with the same issue--selective hearing, listening but not hearing, hearing but not responding.  The Bible often says, if you have ears to hear--listen.

Jan says I only hear the things I want to hear--do you resemble that? If a sentence contains the word "candy" my granddaughter always hears--otherwise, her hearing is sometimes selective. I am sure Jesus would say the same thing--Larry you hear what you want to hear. Maybe you are like those Timothy talks about that only hear what tickles their ears, thing I agree with, things I like to hear. I like compliments, but not correction. I like agreement, but not those that disagree. 

Or maybe I am listening but not really hearing. I hear the words, but I do not process the words. I hear the words, but I do not hear the heart of the speaker. I hear the words, but they do not impact me. Sometimes I am so busy trying to come up with my response, that I miss what the person is really saying. Or perhaps I have already developed my response, so I "listen" but not to hear. 

Or maybe I hear fine, I comprehend fine, but I do not act on the words I have heard. Happens every week with the sermon, right. I say amen in the service and then Monday comes and I forget or ignore. 

Now back to the story--notice what Jesus says--"Be opened." Lord, please say that to my ears today--be opened to hear what the Lord is saying in my prayers, in my reading, in my walk. Remove everything that interferes with me really hearing You and help me hear clearly. And then Lord, help me listen to others to understand before I listen to respond. Help me really hear what is on their heart, what is hurting them, what they need. Then, make me Your instrument of peace. 

Blessings

Larry