“The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s anxieties, riches, and pleasures, and their fruit does not mature.” Luke 8:14
The radio released its song at a pleasant background volume. Its tunes, melody, and lyrics creating a fusion of sounds and rhythms for my ears. Normally a cooperative co-pilot, it was in this instance however, just enough perfect competing noise to muddle the message being spoken to me from my passenger. I reached over and simply turned off the radio. The competition now eliminated, the message I truly desired to hear, came through loud and clear. Oh how similar it is in finding focus to do the same with the Word of God. In a world today that is determined to create just enough white noise to drown out what you truly need to hear from the Lord, how will you control the volume of what is competing with that message?
One of my favorite parables is found not just in one of the gospels, but three, the parable of the Sower. For me it is one of the most practical, one of the most vivid, and as a result, one of the most shockingly apparent parables from Jesus. Christ is so clear in how the hearts of this world will receive His Word, it both simultaneously encourages me and alarms me. Considering that Jesus tells us in this parable that 75% of the hearts in this world are deemed as incapable of processing God’s Word (the seed) to the point of producing abundant fruit for Him, is a fact that should alarm anyone concerned in the giving out of God’s Word. Yet I find myself this morning pondering deeply upon the third example of soil in Jesus’ parable. I specifically focus on the word "choke" (some transalations use the word "competes.") For it is here that I believe an abundance of people fall, especially many that call themselves Christians today, as the noise of this world competes and chokes out the Word of God in their lives.
"“The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s anxieties, riches, and pleasures, and their fruit does not mature.” Luke 8:14
There is no doubt that our world today generates more white noise than has ever existed at any point in history. Endless streams of social media, 24 hour a day news pollution, texts, emails, streaming entertainment, countless phone calls from phones that never leave our side, video calls, and other technologies make our lives on call 24/7. And within that soupy mixture of worldly noise lies lives, that like never before, are being bombarded with the competing messages of this life that are ever so capable of choking out the one thing that should be anchoring it, the bread of life, the Word of God.
So as I clearly observe the problem, I must ask myself, how do you effectually battle the noise of this world in order to locate the silence necessary to properly encounter the message of the Lord that lies within His Words to us? You see, there is a truth when it comes to hearing from the Lord. One that mirrors the common courtesy required to have a deep conversation in person. You must first be still, be quiet, remove distractions, and place all priority on listening to the speaker well. You must be still, focus, and listen intently before God’s whispers can be heard. Speaking of being quiet and preparing your heart to hear from the Lord, these different translations of Psalm 46:10a speak volumes to this process. One the Lord knows we must master if we desire to hear His whispers daily.
“Be still, and know that I am God” English Standard Version
“Cease striving and know that I am God” Legacy Standard Bible
“Stop your fighting, and know that I am God” Holman Christian Standard Bible
“Be still and see that I am God” Douay-Rheims Bible
What is it today that is competing for your attention to the Lord? Whatever it is, God tells you to simply stop, find a quiet place, be still, and sit with Him. Whatever problems you are encountering today are no surprise to the Lord, in fact, He is more than ready to address and speak into those very problems. But you must first give Him time and attention, completely void of the white noise of this world in order to hear Him speak. Today, an analyzation is in need. Carefully look around at what is causing the distractions in your life. For it is in these carefully placed and planned distractions that a deep connection with the Lord can be easily missed. Turn off the radio, put down the phone, close the laptop, turn off the TV, and challenge yourself to do something that this world today would deem as crazy. Simply find a quiet, empty, private, still place…and sit. Sit in silence. Sit alone. Sit with the Lord. Make yourself available to Him and He will speak into your life. But until the white noise of this world is eliminated, the conversation will only be clouded by busyness, noise, and static. Find your silence and find the Lord.
I pray today the noise of this world is minimized as the voice of the Lord is maximized ~ Dan
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