Yesterday we looked at a couple of the repeated phrases in Jesus’ seven letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor. Today I’d like to focus on the other repeated phrase, and this one is repeated at the end of every letter: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” What does it mean to “have ears”? In short, it means to be willing to hear Jesus’ voice. Our attention is always selective. There are many things we could think about and give attention to at any given time. We therefore make choices to focus on some things and accordingly ‘block out’ other things. One of the things we most readily block out is our own faults. We have to live with ourselves and it seems easiest to believe we are doing well, even when we are not. But this is not an easy way to live. It is disastrous. One of the most important spiritual disciplines is that of confession. We must regularly reflect on and confess our faults to God. Jesus will forgive us and lead us out of our personal flaws, but we must acknowledge them and bring them to him for that to happen. If Jesus has “something against you” (as the repeated phrase in these letters goes) then you need to know this more than anything. So be intentional about giving attention to this. You probably already know what Jesus is grieved by in your life. Are you willing to give that your attention and do something about it? That is what it means to ‘have ears to hear’.
Reflect on and confess your sins to God.
Read Revelation 3
