The old man in the doctor’s office obviously had ears, but that hand cuffed around his ear told its own tale. He had ears, but he could not hear.
Anxiously he leaned forward, his hand still cupping his ear, hoping to catch what the specialist was saying. Would he prescribe a hearing aid? Could he be helped to hear again? After years of deafness, he had little hope.
The surgeon’s light shone into the patient’s ear; his delicate instruments probed gently as he gazed intently into the ear. Suddenly the light flashed on the shining steel of his forceps. Carefully the doctor removed a waxy plug almost an inch long-and the old man could hear!
Sixty years earlier a doctor had treated him for an ear infection and had put a cotton plug in his ear. Forgotten, it had stayed in place all those years gathering dirt and wax until his ear was completely blocked.
The old man got into his car and started the motor to go home. What a roar! Startled, he switched the engine off and then realized that there was nothing wrong with the car. It was just that now he could hear! Grinning broadly, he turned the switch again and started homeward.
Yes, he had had ears—good ears—but he could not hear. There are other ears that do not hear, ears that are “stopped,” ears that refuse to hear when the Spirit of God says, “If any man have an ear, let him hear” (Rev. 13:99If any man have an ear, let him hear. (Revelation 13:9)).
What should he hear? He should hear the Word of God.
How it all fits together! We hear; we believe; we receive! But we must both hear and believe God’s Word.
Furthermore, we must not endanger our eternal future by delaying, for it is also written, “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:77Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Hebrews 4:7)). Today-this day-right now!-is all the time we can be sure of.