Listen With the Ear of Your Heart

I have been reading through a book by Stephen W. Smith, Embracing Soul Care: Making Space for What Matters Most.  If something stands out, I have created a meme with textgram and shared it on my Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Here are some of those:

Today's chapter is "Listening for God" and a quote by Benedict of Nursia caught my attention: "Listen and attend with the ear of your heart." (113)

What does it mean to listen with the ear of one's heart?

As I reflect on that, Psalm 46:10 comes to mind: "Be still and know that I am God."  I often pray and reflect on this verse in this hourglass prayer format:

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Be.

Be still.

Be still and know.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know that I am God.

I can hear best when I am still.  Not always 100 percent physically still, as it can also be a quiet walk on the river walk or in the woods that stills the noise around me to allow me to listen with the ears of my heart.

Taking/making time for self care/ soul care allows me to listen with the ears of my heart.

As I am more healed and whole, I can better hear and respond.

Listening to God.

Listening to others.

Listening to self.

Listening is a critically important skill.

The chapter mentions the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4a in which we are called to listen: "Hear, O Israel...". Check out Deuteronomy 6:4-9 for the passage in context. Verse 5 is a key verse on living for me.

The chapter mentions other verses on listening.

The one that speaks most to me today is the one from 1 Samuel 3:9-- "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening."

This is the response I hope to have. I hope to be in tune enough to respond, to continue listening, and to be able to go forward on the journey.

Learning to listen is a spiritual discipline and one that will continue to unfold the rest of my life.

I am still learning.

Most mornings I spend time listening. This morning it was a little too cold to be outside to listen to the wind blow, so I watched from inside, with Cliff.

I am reminded that not everyone has that luxury. As I watch and listen each day, my response to listening is "here I am".  Then we see what adventurous encounters occur next.

Peace on your journey,

Debra