It was 65 years ago this week when my dear friend T-Bo and I were doing what boys love to do, make loud noises & blow things up. It was a Christmas holiday afternoon in my front yard. There we were, kneeling in a heap of firecrackers, lighting & throwing as fast as we could. It was exciting until the fuses burned faster than we thought. BAM! Then igniting all our firecrackers leaving only smoke, paper debris, T-Bo’s burned fingers, and our loss of hearing. We both sprang up and began walking into the woods without saying a word. It must have been 15 minutes before either one of us spoke a word. It was T-Bo who said, “Can you hear?” Excitedly I replied, “Yes, I can hear.” Well, I could hear in my right ear, and he could hear in his left but all we could hear in the other ears all was ringing…loud ringing.

That night we were to perform, along with the adult choir, in our annual church Christmas Cantata. It was a big deal. We practiced after school for over a month. You guessed it, T-Bo and I lip-synced our parts that night. Everyone said it was beautiful; all we heard was constant ringing.

When you think about it…this sounds much like the way we go through life. We get up and light the fuse…throwing as fast as we can until…BAM! Everything blows up and we cry out to God. And we wonder why we can’t hear Him. We even question if He hears us and say things like “I don’t feel Him.” A good friend wrote this on the whiteboard in our Sunday School room. “God speaks to those who take time to listen, and He listens to those who take time to pray.” Jason Benbrook.

Hearing God is not a mystery. It’s not for a certain few. God clearly tells us in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” Being still is an intentional “One-On-One” time with Him, with no distractions. There is more. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

Question, how does a person “Know Jesus”? Simple, prayerfully read His Word. The Bible is His Love Letter to ALL people to reveal His Love, His Way, His Instructions, His Warnings and His Redemptive Saving Grace. It’s personal so no one can do it for you. It’s a process that takes time…in fact, a lifetime. It is THE Relationship that results in Peace in the storms of life. Of Joy when there is no happiness. Of Hope in a hopeless world. It is the Confidence in the only thing that is Trustworthy. It is the promise of eternal life with our Savior & God to His followers. Jesus made this promise, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 There is no other way.

If you are not a follower of Jesus, isn’t time you accepted His gift? The world can’t understand it but it’s just this simple. Cry out to Him. Ask for His forgiveness. Ask Him to transform your life from blowing up life-firecrackers to shining His Light into the lives of others. Then know this promise from Romans 10:9, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This is exactly what happened that day with the thief on the cross. “Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

Or maybe you are a follower that has drifted away. Jesus has an example for you. It’s the Lost Son who had returned home found in Luke 15:11-32. His father replied, “for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So, the party began.” Luke 15:24. It’s never too late to come home to Jesus!

Isn’t it time to put the firecrackers & matches down? Isn’t it time to come home to the loving arms of Jesus? His love is the greatest gift you will ever receive. It will last for eternity.