EARS WIDE OPEN
Today's reading:  Genesis 20-23

"And Abraham took the knife and lifted it up to kill his son as a sacrifice to the Lord.  At that moment the angel of the Lord shouted to him from heaven, Abraham!  Abraham!  Yes, he answered, I am listening.  Lay down the knife, the angel said.  Do not hurt the boy in any way for now I know that you truly fear God.  You have not withheld even your beloved son from me."  Genesis 22:10-12 NLT

His hands had to be shaking as he lifted the knife.

His tears must have been streaming down his face--or for his son's sake, he was building a dam to hold them back.

His stomach in knots.

His heart racing.

His ears wide open for the next instruction God would choose to give him.

He heard God spoke.  He exhaled as deeply as he could.  He turned his head to glance over his shoulder at the ram caught in the bushes.

Might he have allowed his heart, mind and senses to be so focused on the task he was called to do that he could have drowned out the voice of the Lord?  And missed the next step he was being asked to take?

I want to listen to God with my ears wide open!  I want to hear His every request and direction.  I want to know just what it is He needs me to do, when I need to do it and how He wants it done.

To do that, I must clean out my ears-and my heart.