Are You Listening?
Matthew 17: 5 (NIV)- “...This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well-pleased. Listen to him!”
Growing up, my sister and I always knew when our parents meant business.
When it was time for dinner or time to leave the house, they usually called us by our first names. But if we heard our first and middle names spoken together, we knew we were in trouble!
More often than not, it meant we hadn't listened the first time.
If you've raised teenagers, or if you can remember being one yourself, you probably understand that hearing can become surprisingly selective.
Somehow, important instructions seem to get lost between a parent's mouth and a teenager's ears!
The truth is, we don't completely outgrow that tendency as adults.
In a recent sermon, our pastor pointed out two places in Scripture where God specifically tells people to listen to Jesus. What caught my attention was that the command is given twice and in two very different settings.
And it made me wonder: Was God simply emphasizing an important truth, or were the people struggling to listen the first time?
Perhaps we're not so different today. How often does God speak, guide, prompt, or instruct us, only for us to become distracted by the noise around us? How often do we hear His words but fail to truly listen?
These two passages offer an important reminder: When God speaks, He desires more than our attention—He desires our obedience.
Both passages are found in the Gospel of Matthew.
In Matthew 3:16–17, immediately after Jesus is baptized and rises from the water, the heavens open and God declares: "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Then, in Matthew 17:1–8, during the Transfiguration, Jesus' face shines like the sun and His clothes become dazzling white. Once again, in verse 5 God speaks: "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (emphasis mine)
The message is almost identical, except for one important addition. The second time God speaks, He adds three simple but penetrating words: "Listen to him."
Years ago, the Christian artist Carmen released a humorous song that emphasized the importance of listening when God speaks. With his trademark wit, he described how Noah and his family listened very carefully to God's instructions about building the ark—largely because they couldn't swim (according to Carmen)!
As the song says:
Well the rains came, they was all safe inside
They didn't get wet or nothin'
Noah obeyed 'cause when God speaks
Everybody listens, even E.F. Hutton!
Then, the words of the chorus say it best:
God don't care, what the circumstance
Or even if the future's lookin' dim
God don't want, some big ol' song and dance
He just wants your faith and trust in Him.
Growing up, we didn't get to visit my grandparents on my father's side very often because they lived several states away. But whenever we did visit, there was one conversation I could always count on having with my grandmother.
At some point during our stay, she would find a quiet moment to pull my sister and I aside and she would begin by reminding us how fortunate we were to have her son and daughter-in-law as our parents. Then she would explain why, listing the qualities she admired in them, before ending with the same piece of advice every time:
"You will do well in life if you always listen to their guidance and direction."
Of all the memories I have of my grandmother, this remains one of my favorites. Looking back, I realize her words were rooted in love. She wanted what was best for us. She knew our parents loved us, wanted to protect us, and would help guide us through life.
In many ways, God's invitation to listen to Jesus is much the same.
When the Father says, "This is my Son... listen to Him," He isn't trying to limit us or control us. He is lovingly directing us toward the One who knows us best, loves us most, and sees what we cannot see.
My grandmother believed listening to my parents would help me navigate life well. God knows that listening to His Son leads to life itself.
The question is not whether God is speaking. The question is whether we are listening to Him.
