Are You Listening?

A hand goes over the mouth as a yawn is carefully hidden. A car races down the road and catches our attention out the window. The sun is shining and we think of all the other things – we think – we should be doing. Our sleeve slips up allowing a quick glance at the watch. We sigh as only a few brief minutes have passed since the beginning of the preacher’s message. The phone vibrates in the pocket giving us a reprieve from the preached Word of God. “What was that last thing spoken? What verse are we supposed to be turning to?” We think to ourselves as the phone is slipped back into our pocket. We glance to the person next to us to see where in the Bible we should be. So many distractions. So much on our minds. Surely our time could best be used elsewhere. Wrong!

Recently in one of my morning devotions, I read a verse in Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 8:3 “…the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.”

I had to pause and ponder this statement and I could not get past it as I thought of how much of the preached Word of God people miss by being distracted by Satan. Satan has filled our minds with so much “stuff” that many people cannot be attentive in church anymore. This is such a shame. They are not gleaning what is necessary for them through the week. They flounder through school, through the workplace, through the week and all because they were distracted through the church message. They were not attentive to what God had specifically for them in church service. They missed out on God’s particular words specially designed for them. It could have been one sentence that could have changed their lives, but instead they were distracted by something Satan put in their way.

People are attentive when they want to be at various events in their lives. They hoot and holler at sports games and never seem tired. Vacations weary the body, but all people will keep going to the next planned event on the vacation no matter how exhausted the body gets.  After all, it is vacation and people will go 24/7 to do as much as they can during the vacation. No matter how overworked and sleepy people are, they will still go to birthday parties, anniversary events, family reunions, and even funerals; but come Sunday morning and try sitting through Sunday School for 30 minutes and church service for an hour and it seems like a jail sentence to many. Satan has us so deceived and distracted in church and because of our lack of attentiveness, many people are missing the most valuable things they need in their daily lives – God’s preached Word.

Websters 1828 defines attentive as: “Heedful; intent; observant; regarding with care. It is applied to the senses of hearing and seeing, as an attentive ear or eye; to the application of the mind, as in contemplation…”

Sometimes, I myself have a hard time being fully attentive as I should through church. It is a difficult thing to do sometimes. I have no doubt most Christians mean well and want to be attentive in church, but our flesh is weak.

Matthew 26:41 “…the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

If we are aware of the problem, then we can take it to the Lord in prayer and ask for his help. He wants us to learn from his Word, to do the things in his Word, so he will give us the strength to glean from his Word in church service.

Like someone going to a sporting event, they take things to enjoy the sporting event. So, let’s do things to help us stay attentive in church. Due to health issues, I have always had a natural sleep issue over the past 20 years; however, I have learned do the following things to help me stay more alert in church:

• Get a good night’s sleep.
• Take your Bible.
• Take a note pad and write notes.
• Sit up straight. When one finds oneself slouching, “sit up!”
• Take a small package of mints.
• Drink coffee and if you don’t drink coffee, take caffeine supplements.
• Don’t dress too warm. In churches that are warm, the people tend to get too cozy and fall asleep. (Now you know why your preacher may keep the church cool). Yes, be comfortable in your dress but don’t keep on your winter coat and gloves.
• Turn to every verse referenced. Most preachers will have the congregation turn to only a few verses in the message, but decide to turn to them all. Even if you get to it too late. No worries. You are doing this to help your attentiveness in church.

Over the years of sitting under thousands of wonderfully preached messages, there have been times when just one sentence or one statement has stood out and stuck with me my entire life. What if I had been distracted and missed those special, brief moments? I will give two examples in my life:

1. As I sat in an Adult Sunday school class about 15 years ago, the preacher said, “You know there is one thing that is very hard to do.” I remember all the adults sat up and on the edge of the pew. The preacher continued “What on God!” Well, there was a chorus of “Amens” throughout the auditorium. I have never forgotten that statement and it has helped me over the years to “Wait on God.” What if I had been distracted by my phone at that time or looking out a window?
2. Another time was about 20 years ago. An older, visiting preacher spoke and he made this statement, “If our generation bends and gives in on one point of the Bible (example – modest dress), then the next generation dresses immodestly and gives in on something else (example ungodly music). Then the next generation has immodest dress, ungodly music and bends in another area of doctrine; and so on. Then, three and four generations away, we see our great-grandchildren and they are so far from where we started – in the Bible – and we wonder ‘How did they get that far from God’s Word?’” Wow, that was a life changer for me. What if I had paid attention to the sun outside and let my mind wonder? I would have missed this precious statement that has helped me to follow God’s Word closely and not bend on his commands.

This is an encouragement for each of us to take a look at how attentive we are – or not – in church.

Nehemiah 8:3 “and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

If one has not been too attentive in church, that is okay, pray about it, move on and ask for the Lord’s help in being more attentive in church. Then, wait and see just what precious words God has in store for you.