For the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them. (Matthew 13:15 NAS95)
In the middle of a parable on receptivity to the word of the Kingdom, Jesus cites something from Isaiah that indicates responsiveness to God results in healing the person. What Jesus quotes points to an ability that He assumes we all have — the ability to hear and be drawn to see the heart of God. Dullness of hearing, though, seems to rule in most of us, and Jesus had deep awareness of this issue. Yet at the same time Jesus includes God’s desire (and His) to restore people to wholeness and health. This passage shows God’s desire to heal the hearts of those who perceive and turn to Him. In fact, for those who turn and perceive God’s radical advocacy for their best interest and choose to rely on the goodness of God, Jesus indicates God naturally desires to restore them to the fullness of life He’d always intended for them. That means a life of communion with Him.
Jesus seemed to grab the disciples’ interest, so they asked for more. They had heard and wondered whether they’d understood. Even their asking reflected their turning and that they had already entered the process of healing. The disciples were moving from scarcely hearing to really perceiving God and His orientation to love, resulting in them living out of the reality of God’s inconceivable goodness toward them. They knew it meant change, but they now were beginning to perceive God’s way as best for them — no matter how much they struggled to surrender to that kind of love. Even their scarcely hearing and responding caused their ability to hear and perceive God to flourish into regular responsiveness to His presence over time. I stand encouraged because I too want to grow in my ability to hear, respond and be drawn to see more clearly the heart of God.
For Reflection:
“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” (Psalms 19:1 NAS95)
- Have there been times where you perceived God prompting you? How hard was it to believe that He might possibly be doing that?
- How has your confidence in the goodness of God grown over the past year?
