Let Him Hear

I was struck by the Lord’s emphasis on hearing in Mark 4. As a one-word introduction to the parable of the sower He said, “Hearken” (v3). And then immediately following the telling of the parable He similarly invited, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (v9). He wanted them and us to focus on truly hearing Him. As He subsequently gave the interpretation of the parable, much of the emphasis was on hearing the word. They that received the word by the wayside heard, but Satan then took the word away. They that received the word on stony ground heard the word, but without roots they became offended. They that received the word among thorns heard the word originally, but the cares of the world choked it. All these types heard the word, but its impact didn’t last long enough. In contrast, “These are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred” (v20). Again these heard the word, but in hearing they also received it, and it brought forth good fruit. Thus the focus of this parable as told by Mark seems to be that we need to hear the word of God and then let that hearing turn to action, just as the initial introductory word—hearken—suggests.

                After telling this parable, Mark’s account in this chapter again highlighted the need to hear the word. He recorded these words of Jesus: “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given” (v23-24). Of course we all have physical ears to hear, but here the Savior seems to be suggesting that we need ears that hear and hearken, ears that listen to His word and receive it into our souls. And this verse suggests that if we will indeed hear His word in the fullest sense then we will be able to continue to receive as He will give us more. After recording more parables Mark said, “And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it” (v33). This invites us to ask the question, “Are we able to hear the word of the Lord?” It reminds us of what some of the disciples said when Jesus taught something difficult for some to understand: “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” (John 6:60) We must indeed learn to hear Him, even when the teachings are difficult to understand or go against what the world wants us to hear. President Nelson’s invitation continually invites us to learn to truly “hear Him” and receive what He would have us do.

                I sometimes have the experience of talking to one of my children, perhaps giving them instructions or requesting something of them, and they are totally deaf to me. They act as if they do not hear me at all until I do something more significant to get their attention or say something that I know they’ll respond to. After I finally have their attention and I tell them that they must not have heard me, they usually will admit that they did hear me the first time—they simply didn’t want to listen. Perhaps we are all too often like that with the Lord. He urges us to hear and receive, to hearken and bring forth fruit because of the word that we hear. But we sometimes choose not to listen when the Lord or one of His servants speaks. We have the opportunity again to listen to the word of the Lord through prophets, apostles, and others who will speak for Him in general conference this weekend. May we listen to their words seeking to heed this invitation from the Savior: “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”