Keep It!

Luke 11:27-28  As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”


Blessed for hearing AND keeping. It is so easy to be smug when we spend time to hear the word of God. For some that means attending church on Sunday and listening to the sermon. For others it might include church and reading the bible every day. Still others might mean that they add to those prayer time listening for Jesus voice and feeling his affirmation as they pray. All those approaches are somewhat admirable, but they don't necessarily complete the desired process. The KEEP IT part, that is the most difficult part isn't it.


Jesus is the word, the Logos, of God so hearing the word is his verbal words but also his example, what he did. We need to hear what he said about prayer, we need to listen to the sermon on the mount, we need to listen to his speaking to the crowds and to his disciples, we need to hear what he said the those he challenged and those he chose. At the same time we need to see all the things he did, he fasted, he prayed, he healed, he served, he commissioned others, all these and more are his word as well. He even said that what he did was as an example so that we might do likewise. He didn't say his mother was not blessed exactly, but clearly wanted the focus on those who acted on his WORD. I am challenged by this every day, are you?