Dear Members and Friends of Prince of Peace,
If God stopped listening to us, what would happen? That is the question posed in Psalm 28. There we read: “To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit” (v. 1). Reflected there is a concern. What if God refused
to listen to the psalmist, in this case, David?
We know what happens when a friend or acquaintance stops listening to us. In fact, it is a common occurrence isn’t it? When someone stopped listening to us on the playground when we were children it meant we no longer had a friend. When a teacher stopped listening to us in our classroom it meant he or she no longer had any patience for us. In high school, a deaf ear from classmates meant that somehow we just were not part of the main stream of high school life anymore. If we were dating then, it meant the person we were dating was breaking up with us.
At work as adults, when our voice is no longer heard, when no one wishes to listen to us, what can it mean?
Well, we know what it means: It means we probably should be looking for a new job! So David’s concern is real, isn’t it? I mean, if a deaf ear on earth can have such far reaching consequences for us every single day, what can a deaf ear in heaven mean? Perhaps that was Christ was experiencing on the cross when He cried out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
For what truly would be the problem if God no longer would listen to us? Well, as the psalmists tells us, the chief problem would be that if God no longer would listen to us, He would no longer speak to us either!
And that is exactly what happens when people stop listening to us! They stop speaking to us as well! And when that happens, we no longer have any connection with that person at all! We have lost their friendship, their companionship, their comfort, their aid, their advice, their sympathy and a whole host of other benefits we enjoy just if someone listens to what we say, and then responds by speaking to us!
So where does God speak to us? Where can we hear Him? In worship, on Sunday, when we hear the Word of God spoken to us. We also hear God speaking to us when we read our Bibles, or when others tell us about Him as He has spoken to us in the Bible. And how to we talk to God? In prayer,
and in our singing using psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.
So what is Christian worship here at Prince of Peace but God, our loving heavenly Father continuing to speak to us through His Word, and also, listening to us as we speak to Him in prayers and singing? The end result? We are assured that God continues to be our friend, offering us His
companionship, comfort, aid, advice and a whole host of other benefits that only He can provide for us.
Haven’t been to worship in awhile? Come back! God wants to listen to you. And He wants to speak to you as well!
Your Servant in Christ,
Pastor Strawn
