Who is as blind as my own people, my servant?
    Who is as deaf as my messenger?
Who is as blind as my chosen people,
    the servant of the Lord?
You see and recognize what is right
    but refuse to act on it.
You hear with your ears,
    but you don’t really listen. (Isaiah 42:19,20)

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.  (James 1:22)

Church-goers are in great danger of missing the obvious. We know from experience. As second-generation believers, both Mark and I grew up going to church three times a week. We memorized verses and knew how to navigate our way around the Bible in order to win every Sunday School contest our teachers threw at us. We have read the Bible almost every day of our lives, yet there were major areas in our lives – blind spots – where we were merely hearers, not do-ers. (Mark was dumb and I was dumber.) Thank God the Lord got ahold of us and changed our hearts and transformed our minds!

Father,

Please forgive me for being blind, deaf and dumb – glazing over whole areas in the Word that I have avoided obeying out of pride and ignorance. Please open my eyes and ears to your Word. Make me aware of the ways I have immunized myself to really allowing your Word to change my habits, mind-set, and daily routines. I have excused whole areas of weakness in my life, yet I have been very hard on others who are weak. I ask you for forgiveness. I am determined to believe the Good News that you are changing me from the inside out as I learn to listen and obey!

In Jesus’ Name, Amen