Good Listening Skills

February 03, 2009
Developing Good Listening Skills
Nehemiah 8:9-12

During their 70-year captivity in Babylon, the Israelites did not have the freedom to worship God as they once did. So when the opportunity arose to hear the Scriptures in Jerusalem, they were ready to listen.

Ezra read to them from the first five books of the Old Testament. As he spoke, the people heard about the Lord's promises to Abraham and his descendants, His covenants with the nation of Israel, and His requirements of faith and obedience. They patiently stayed together for the entire reading because they understood the value of God's Word. Their specific purpose was to gain insight into the Law. Listening with repentant hearts, they wept over their sins but also experienced joy because they were following the Lord's commandments once again. The people trusted the words of Scripture as well as the one who preached to them.

The Bible is God's unfolding revelation of Himself. Divinely inspired and free of error, it is our source of truth about His righteous character, man's sinful nature, and the plan of salvation. In its pages, we discover that man has a sin problem but no way to solve it on his own. We also learn that God's just nature requires a penalty for transgression. Scripture reveals how divine justice was carried out against Jesus for our sin, and that through faith in Him, we are forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life.

Good listening skills are important because God, who has much to teach us, speaks through the Scriptures. How well do you listen?