When Jesus was told that his family had arrived to see him, he took the opportunity to make it clear whom he regarded as his family. It is not those who are family by natural generation but by supernatural generation; in other words, as he said: “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice” (8:21). It is one thing to listen and another thing to hear. To really ‘hear’ you need much more than certain physical or intellectual capacities. You need a “good heart” (8:15). This means that you must be willing to face all the implications of the divine Word. For once God speaks into your heart, you can never be the same. If you want to change, then you will hear God speak to you and his word will enlighten you and transform you. But if you don’t want to change; if you don’t want to let go of your worldly dreams and your selfish agendas then you will not hear him. God is speaking to us all the time. There is no question about that. But will we hear him? That is the question. The Bible speaks of God hardening the hearts of certain recalcitrant people (e.g. Exodus 7:3; Romans 9:18). If God will harden a heart then surely he will soften a heart. Ask God to soften your heart and enable you to hear and be enlightened by his word. Then his word will become a light in you that will not only bring clarity and wisdom for you but will enlighten others as well.
Ask God to soften your heart so that you may receive what he is saying to you.
Read Luke 8:1-21
