All Ear
“A spiritual life requires discipline because we need to learn to listen to God, who constantly speaks but whom we seldom hear. When, however, we learn to listen, our lives become obedient lives. The word ‘obedient’ comes from the word audire, which means ‘listening.’
A spiritual discipline is necessary in order to move slowly from an absurd to an obedient life, from a life filled with noisy worries to a life in which there is some free inner space where we can listen to our God and follow God’s guidance. Jesus’ life was a life of obedience. He was always listening to the Father, always attentive to his voice, always alert for his directions. Jesus was ‘all ear.’
That is true prayer: being all ear for God. The core of all prayer is indeed listening, obediently standing in the presence of God.”
~Henri Nouwen
A spiritual discipline is necessary in order to move slowly from an absurd to an obedient life, from a life filled with noisy worries to a life in which there is some free inner space where we can listen to our God and follow God’s guidance. Jesus’ life was a life of obedience. He was always listening to the Father, always attentive to his voice, always alert for his directions. Jesus was ‘all ear.’
That is true prayer: being all ear for God. The core of all prayer is indeed listening, obediently standing in the presence of God.”
~Henri Nouwen
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