As we develop this idea of questioning, I want to pause at the first thing the scripture tells us Jesus was doing (Luke 2:46). It was simply listening. Before you can question – you must first be prepared to listen to the response, unless you don’t care about the response. Listening is key. As a matter of fact learning to listen to God is the first rule of success in life.
Listening is how we get to know the heart of God. Luke 10:39 tells us that “…Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.” It is here she exemplified that above all we do, worry about, or focus on, Jesus said in verse 42 “there is one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it…” I believe with all my heart -in our quest to discover God’s will, if we would just not be so focused on telling Him our will, we might just hear His. In the stillness of God’s presence, listening to His voice, we begin to know and understand His heart. Prayer is and should always be a two-way conversation with our Father.
Jesus not only understood how to listen to His Father, he also valued what others had to say. How do I know that? He listened to them. Go back to the story in Luke 2:46, even though the religious leaders were so far off in their understanding of the Heart of His Father – He took time to listen to them. He placed value on their words. I believe you will find that when you offer that to others, it may not guarantee that they give you that in return, but maybe, just maybe – it might earn you the privilege to be listened to. Before He questioned, He listened. Let’s really make an attempt to listen to one another. More than that, let us excel in listening to our Heavenly Father. Listening to everything He wants to teach us.
