What do you hear? by Lorilee Guenter

Birdsong, creaky floors, snippets of conversation, rustling leaves. Sounds abound, giving depth to life. Do you hear them? 

A number of years ago an advertisement featured a person asking: "can you hear me?" "Can you hear me now?" Even in many unexpected places we are connected. This past weekend, my girls and I were texting while hiking through a northern forest. We could have carried on a phone conversation taking us away from the forest while still surrounded by trees. We have a choice what we listen to and what we block out. 

Our conversations add to the hum of life. Just as we choose what we listen to, we choose what we contribute. Our voice can add to the symphony of sound or it can detract from it. When I played in a concert band, I needed to know my part and I needed to listen to the conductor while being aware of the other instruments. I could know my part well and add noise if I was out of tune or out of tempo. Too loud or too quiet and the whole became unbalanced. The most important person to pay attention to in a band is the conductor. They tie the pieces together. 

Listening increases the impact of our part. We choose what we listen to and what we block out. We can listen to the Holy Spirit as He conducts the symphony of life, or we can let distractions pull our attention away. He sees the whole just as the conductor of the symphony sees each part. If we let Him give us our cues then our words, our voice is infused with His power. If not we become part of the background noise adding to the distractions of life. 

The Holy Spirit asks: "can you hear me? Will you listen?" Our best answer is: "yes Lord, I hear you. It only comes when we silence the distractions and enter into conversation with Him. Then our voices, shown in our art and our life, sing out reflecting His vision. Some of us will play a solo, some harmony, all part of the song of life.