Nehemiah 8:3c – …and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
What a wonderful phrase we have here in the scripture. It says that people listened with an attentive ear to the scripture! Now this wasn’t just for a short sermon, no way, this went on for the entire morning! As Ezra read from the book of the law the men and women of Israel stood and listened for at least 4 hours while the law was read. Can you just envision that scene. A group of tens of thousands of people standing at attention while the man of God reads from the Word of God! What a scene to picture in our mind.
That got me thinking, what would it take for us today to want to do that? I mean really how many of us would stand while a pastor preached for 4 hours? If we are honest after 45 minutes or so we would be looking at our watches wondering when the pastor was going to wrap it up so we could head home and eat some lunch. It amazes me that they craved the Word of God so much they were willing stand and listen for 4 hours. Not just listen but paying attention and gaining knowledge. That really brings shame into my life because I complain when a service goes more than 1 hour! I pray that I would crave the Word of God with more zeal and be willing to eat it up every time the Scriptures are opened. May we all desire to listen attentively to the Word of God when it is spoken aloud by the man of God.
Because of the Cross,
Pastor Chris
abidingfaithbaptist.com 