Notes follow the video for the hearing impaired.
This series about everyday gifts God sends to us has dealt with the gifts of being able to enjoy the fruits of our labors and being contented with what we have on a daily basis, regardless if it is much or only a little. Today we’re going to look at a different type of gift from God.
Proverbs 20:12 NLT [12] Ears to hear and eyes to see- both are gifts from the LORD.
Our ears and eyes are another important gift from God. We know we benefit from these two gifts because of our physical senses of hearing and seeing. It would be logical to include our other three senses of touching, tasting and smelling in with hearing and seeing.
But the gifts of eyes and ears are coupled with understanding, which we call discernment, so they become even more valuable to us as gifts from God. When we look at something with our physical sense of sight, we may see an object or action that is taking place, but do we see the motivation behind what we see or the pending results of what we see? When we hear something being spoken, do we understand the meaning behind why it was said?
We know from life’s experiences that different people see and hear differently. Policemen tell us that if several people witness a crime, when they record their accounts of the event, the people will give different versions of what happened during the crime. Their perceptions of what occurred will vary because they all see and hear things from different locations and points of view physically and mentally..
We experience a gift from God when we are able to see more than the color or shape of something. We experience a gift from God when we are able to understand the implications of a statement spoken in our presence. We experience this gift of discernment when our eyes and ears reveal to us more than simply a sight or sound.
It is possible to have ears and eyes that do not really hear or see. Let’s look at a couple of reasons we fail to have understanding, or discernment.
One reason some people cannot truly see and hear involves the sovereign will of God. His will, which is many times a mystery to us, supersedes anything mankind can choose or create. That will sometimes reveals itself in what God does in a person’s life. Listen to
Deuteronomy 29:4 NLT. [4] But to this day the LORD has not given you minds that understand, nor eyes that see, nor ears that hear!
God chooses for some people to harden their hearts and to not be able to see and hear so they can understand. God chose to harden Pharaoh’s heart in Egypt so the world could see just how powerful God was. He chose to allow some of the nation of Israel to perish through His judgements in the wilderness because of their rebellion. Modern Jews still have a veil of unbelief about Jesus covering their eyes, and that veil will remain until the age of the Gentiles is completed and Israel will be saved at the second coming of Messiah.
Now, before we start blaming God for creating people with hardened hearts, we need to consider who He is and who we are. Listen to Romans 9:18-23 NLT. [18] So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. [19] Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?” [20] No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” [21] When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? [22] In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. [23] He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
Please understand we cannot, we must not question God in this matter. He is the eternal potter, the creator of all. It is His prerogative as to how He molds the clay, and we are the clay.
Another reason people lack discernment comes from having a rebellious spirit. Listen to Ezekiel 12:2 KJVS. [2] Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
Rebellion against God’s will can keep us from having discernment about what we see and hear. Rebellion against God’s commands will prevent us from being able to understand why we should follow those commands. Rebellion keeps us from being able to correctly hear God’s voice or correctly see God’s hand working in our lives.
Rebellion essentially is putting our will, our desires, our choices above those of God. God has a plan for each of us, and when we move out of that plan by choosing our own way, instead of God’s way, then we stop being able to see and hear in the spiritual realm the things God wants to show us and tell us. Our relationship with Him grows shallow, then weak, and finally ends in our falling from the grace of God.
Notice this admonition in Hebrews 3:12-14 NLT. [12] Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. [13] You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. [14] For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
There is hope for the rebellious. Repentance from selfishness and seeking God’s forgiveness is available to those who rebel against God and lose their spiritual understanding. If a rebellious person will face and admit their rebellion and turn from it, then God’s grace will flow once more into their lives.
2 Peter 3:9 tells us that it is not God’s will that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. If we choose God’s will that we repent, then we will not perish. I firmly believe that if we ask God to help us repent and be forgiven, He will soften our heart and give us the gift of forgiveness. When we are forgiven, then our spiritual eyes and ears can be opened so we can understand what God shows us and says to us.
Do you want to be able to see and hear all that God has for you to understand and learn? This gift of understanding, discernment, is offered to those who will receive it, just like the gift of salvation. Will you receive the gift of eyes that see and ears that hear today?