From: paul gage
LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD JUNE 8, 2023
“Give ear, O, my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth,” Psalm 78:1
"Seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:38.
Incline your ears: “Inclining the ears does not denote any ordinary sort of hearing, but such as a disciple renders to the words of his master, with submission and reverence of mind, silent and earnest, that whatever is enunciated for the purpose of instruction may be heard and properly understood, and nothing be allowed to escape.
How often do we “hear” but don’t really hear? Something we have to listen to, but don’t want to hear? Something we just let pass through the air, but don’t pick it up on our wave length? Or we are not “listening” closely enough to get the full message? These are times when God is speaking, to incline our ears to hear.
If our whole existence is not inclined to hear, hearken, heed and thus obey are we really seeking first to build up the kingdom of God? Can we truly establish His righteousness, if we are not really listening and properly complying with God’s commandments?
I recently conducted an “in house” survey. As I sit, looking out my front window I can see a four way intersection. East and west have stop signs. North and south do not. Out of sixty vehicles that have come to those stops signs, only 21 have come to a full stop, or in other words have “inclined” their faculties to stop, in obedience to the law. All others have come to a “rolling stop” or not made any effort to stop. One day there might be a deadly crash, not an accident, but a deliberate violation of the law that could cause the loss of lives.
What is the result of those who claim to be “God’s people,” when we “ run a stop sign?” Jeremiah 26:1-8; Ether 1:30-41 and Doctrine and Covenants 81:3 are just a few out of many scriptures that SPEAK to us on this matter, but do we INCLINE our ears to God’s Word.
There is a short prayer response in the Hymnal which reads: “Hear our prayer, O Lord, Hear our prayer, O Lord; INCLINE thine ear to us, and grant us thy peace.” If we want God to incline His ear to us, should we not then, in return be ready, willing and able to incline our ears to Him? We can only seek first to build up His kingdom and establish His righteousness when we listen to Him and obey.
God be with you
Paul Gage
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