Listen

Discerning the voice of wisdom is a sign of maturity. I came across several giant hearing trumpets this afternoon, themed as devices to let visitors listen to the landscape. On a day with little wind and no one else around, I heard nothing whatsoever when attempting to use one, but as a work of art maybe that was a good enough result. Yes, I quite enjoy these attempts to introduce contemporary artwork into a historical landscape. They get me thinking about seeing and experiencing the predictable in a totally new way. And as a musician I value my hearing very highly, though it was because of a relatively few mishaps, playing in a highly amplified environment that my hearing got damaged. I guess we’re all familiar with feedback whistle… well I’ve been the unfortunate who just happens to be stretching across a monitor that literally explodes into such life on more than one occasion! So today I wear hearing aids, and common sense says the quality of my musical pleasure is now historical. Not so; as wisdom suggested an upgrade in my home sound system alongside a good pair of headphones would compensate. And it surely does, so I’m well pleased with my midrange Bose kit.

The Lord is by definition the source of all true wisdom. And the Bible, most obviously the book of Proverbs, teaches us much that can benefit in every area of our lives. But occasionally the Lord speaks to me in a less obvious way. I simply open my mouth and find myself speaking words that are so much more than my own good ideas. On reflection I now realise that a couple of quite separate comments I’ve made, in totally different situations, are both demanding more consideration. At the moment I have two mountains in my life that threaten to impede my journey; bereavement and chronic ill health. And I believe that in each of these areas God has spoken to me, through me. So I previously mentioned how in a recent small church meeting, I made the aside that ‘As I no longer have a wife I now have complete freedom to exclusively please the Lord.’ A privileged position I’ve not enjoyed before. Then a couple of days ago I was discussing a dietary approach to me/cfs symptoms, and commented that ‘The body is designed by God to heal itself, maybe one day it can be persuaded to do just that with a little tlc!’ So now I’m thinking ‘Wow, is the Lord actually speaking into my life about how to move my two mountains?’

1 Corinthians 7:32-34 ^‘I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband.’ (NLT)