Eyes and Ears - Jeremiah 5:21b

          "...who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not..."

  I have read this verse in many places in scripture and it seems to always come with an admonition that we should not be like those who do have the ability to see and hear but don't. The 'don't' is a choice, a knowing choice. They know they can see and hear but don't want to. Probably because with the seeing and hearing they have the understanding and thus the responsibility. We might as well admit the fact that we don't always want to see and hear. It never resolves the problem but we do it anyway.

  When God spoke these words to man it was at a time when the nation flagrantly was being disobedient. The nation had turned from God to serve idols and the prophets lied and spoke words that did not come from God. Obviously He was displeased and disappointed - but not surprised. He had spoken these words of seeing and hearing in Isaiah 6:10 and these words will also be quoted again in the New Testament.

  However, as usual, God provides a way out, (2 Chronicles 7:14):
          "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves,
           and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then
           I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

  Whether individually or as a nation this is the 'formula' for redemption, reconciliation and renewal. It is OUR responsibility to: humble ourselves, pray, seek, turn. But the result is God will hear, forgive and heal. A terrific trade. Another way to look at this trade is that God always provides a way for us to 'win'.

  As easy as it is to know what to do, the doing is never easy. The results are what we seek but the 'price' is the problem. Too often we don't look at the price we pay when we don't do this - and this is enormous. Because we are a 'stiff necked' creation, humility is not easy though it only requires us to admit the sin that separates us and then separate ourselves from it. We do this through prayer and seeking but we also need to turn - which is the definition of repentance: turning from evil and turning toward God.

  When we do then we enact the trade and God WILL.   Humble, pray, seek, turn - the behaviors needed. The choice is ours.