For this people’s heart has grown callous; their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn back-and I would cure them.
Matthew 13:15 HCSB
The song, Do You Hear What I Hear was composed in October 1962 by Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne Baker as an appeal for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The lyrics recall the birth of Jesus and the events surrounding His birth. It was recorded by Bing Crosby and peaked at number 2 on the Billboard in 1963.
In our scripture passage today, Jesus is speaking with His disciples. They have asked Him why He speaks in parables. He had just spoken of the parable of the sower. He is explaining that the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled where it is said that though they will listen, they will not hear and though they will see they will not perceive. I ask the question, do you hear what I hear, because there is a distinct difference in what the lost see and hear versus what the saved see and hear. I know, having experienced it both ways. For years, I would read God’s word out of obligation and wouldn’t really understand what I read. Once I committed my life to Him, I came to appreciate the wonderful story that is told in both the Old and New Testaments and how Jesus is present through it all.
In the parable of the sower, the seed falls on four distinctly different types of ground. Some fell along the path, some fell on rocky ground, some fell among the thorns, and some fell on good ground. You see when we hear God’s Word and don’t understand it, the devil can snatch it from our hearts just as the birds snatch the seed that falls along the path. When we hear the word and immediately receive it with joy, we have no root and it is short-lived like a plant that blossoms and is scorched by the sun. When trials or pressure come our way because of the word, we immediately stumble. When we hear the word and worry about the world and the seduction found in it, the word is choked out like seed being choked by the thorns, it bears no fruit. But when we hear the word and understand it, we bear fruit many times what seed was sown.
For many years in my life, I heard but did not understand. I saw but did not perceive. I was in church, but I just didn’t get it. I didn’t understand what truly loving the Lord with all my heart, and all my soul, and all my strength really meant. I didn’t understand what it meant to surrender it all to God. The problem was that my half-hearted love for the Lord just wasn’t enough. Jesus wanted me to make a decision. He wanted a whole-hearted commitment. The best decision I ever made was to surrender and commit my life to Him.
As we celebrate the baby born of a virgin and laid in a manger, I ask you today, do you hear what I hear? In Matthew 13:16, Jesus tells His disciples, “But your eyes are blessed because they do see, and your ears because they do hear!”
When we truly see and perceive and understand with our hearts, we want to repent and turn back away from our sin and be saved. When we do this, God gives us understand, discernment and wisdom. Do you hear what I hear? Do you see what I see? Do you know what I know? I pray that you do.
Isaiah 59:2 says that our sin creates a barrier between us and God and our sin makes God hide His face from us so that He does not listen. If you just don’t get what all the fuss is about, I beg of you to cry out to God and ask Him to remove any sin that may be causing a barrier between you and Him. I promise you that He will hear that. Isaiah 59:1 tells us that His arm is not too short to save nor is His ear too dull to hear. Ask God to remove any barrier or sin that has prevented you from hearing and perceiving His Word. He wants nothing more than to draw you into a close, personal relationship with Him. You need only ask.
Have a great day!