But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 1:22

When my children were young, I often told them, “Listen and obey.” Sometimes they would say they didn’t hear my instructions. Other times they heard but did not follow through with obedience. So, I stressed the importance of both listening and obeying. God our Father says to us, his beloved children, “Listen and obey.” Often, we listen to his Word or read it with good intentions that never turn into actions. Other times, we pretend like we haven’t heard what God wants us to do because we want to go our own way. Our loving Father is patient and kind with us, just like a loving earthly father is patient and kind to his children. In a loving yet firm voice, God tells us to listen and obey so we don’t fall into self-deceit. Listening and obeying belong together.

Sarah Geringer
Jackson, MO

Lord, help me to both listen to your Word and obey what you want me to do. Amen.

Reflect: Think of a time when you failed to listen to God’s Word.

Read: Romans 16:19 and Deuteronomy 11:26-28