Paying Attention

Paying Attention
 
“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4.23

 
We live in a world where distractions abound.
 
Not long ago, while I was in the middle of my morning message to our church, a phone went off. Assuming it was a call coming in to someone, I said, “Answer it and ask them why they aren’t in church.” I later found out it was the sound from a game – new level achieved and congratulations awarded in the form of a celebratory musical intonation.
 
Of course, every eye in the sanctuary turned to see what had happened and every mind became unfocused from the Word and to the sound. It seems the individual had been playing computer games on a phone and forgot to turn down the volume.
 
While it may be true that the gamer can hear every word spoken in the message, it is certainly true that full attention cannot be given to the preaching of the Word. The draw of the game is more tantalizing than the wooing of God’s Spirit and the power of the Word becomes less affective. Furthermore, the constant pinging of the game (although barely audible) is a distraction which is heightened within the hallowed halls of worship.
 
A very well-known preacher once said that if your preaching puts someone to sleep then your preaching should be what wakes them up. Another well-known preacher once quipped that if you laid end to end all those who fell asleep in church, they would sleep better.
 
I take no personal offense at this because I find myself in fairly good company.
 
While Jesus was teaching on the Sower, He gave the following: “And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4.9) Here, the dependent clause, “He that hath ears to hear…” is a relative clause suggesting an audience ready to hear. In Mark 4.23, the similar clause, “If any man have ears to hear…” is a conditional clause suggesting that His audience may not be carefully attending to the Word He presents. They are distracted.
 
Even though both groups were in attendance, not all were focused on the vital instruction coming from the lips of the Savior.
 
The problem of inattentiveness is not a matter of games played on a phone – or even the whimpering of a diapered baby. It is not a matter of things that distract – it’s more a matter of focusing on what is important. With so many who have their Bibles on their phones, it is much easier for someone to coverup an inattentive heart, mind and spirit; however, our lack of attention never escapes the eye of God. God sees all.
 
The next time you are in church, turn off the phone and focus on the preaching. You may just hear a word from God.
 
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15.3
 
“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4.13