Thursday Talk Story for May 14, 2009 "Listening"

Thursday Talk Story for May 14, 2009

Psalm 64: 1 “Hear my voice, O God,…”

Listening is hard work. When I was in seminary, I took several counseling courses. Back in the 70’s Client Centered Therapy by Carl Rogers was one school of counseling. In that method, “active listening” was a central practice. One of our repeated assignments was to write ‘verbatims’ of conversations we had in our fieldwork experiences that included identifying theological themes, scriptural connections, and therapeutic goals we identified in the encounter. We practiced active listening by role-playing various situations in our class. Two students would sit in front of the rest of the class and one would present an issue seen in a conversation as the other actively listened. Then we would discuss what we saw and heard happening in the interaction. Active listening was a discipline we studied, practiced and learned. It is a way of communicating understanding.

Next Thursday is Ascension Day on the Christian calendar. One great image from the Apostles Creed says, “I believe in Jesus Christ…he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.” What does he do there? What do you think? He listens to our prayers and serves as our high priest and mediator with God. He listens to us. He prays for us. How comforting it is to know that the Risen Christ listens actively to our prayers!

The Study Catechism says we affirm the following in saying this portion of the creed: “First, that Christ has gone to be with the Father, hidden except to the eyes of faith. Second, however, that Christ is not cut off from us in the remote past, or in some place from which he cannot reach us, but is present to us, here and now by grace. He reigns with divine authority, protecting us, guiding us, and interceding for us until he returns in glory.” (Q.47 The Study Catechism of 1998 see also Acts 1: 6-11, Colossians 3:1)

Read John 17: 20-25 to find what he prayed for us before his own death on the cross and his glorious resurrection. It’s good news to know that Christ is always actively listening to everyone who prays to Him in faith. “Thank you Lord, for welcoming, hearing and answering all our prayers. Thank you for listening.”

(For more about Presbyterian Christians visit 1stpresomro@sbcglobal.net and www.pcusa.org) My blog is: http://thursdaytalkstory.blogspot.com/