December 16 Devotion

My Soul Can Hear It

Romans 10:17

Late one night when my brother, Geof, was lying in his hospital bed dying from lung cancer, he gave me instructions to go purchase a tape with healing scriptures read by a particular minister he was acquainted with. He told me he wanted it to play 24-hours-a-day every day he would be in the hospital. I told him I would - and I did. However, instead of a tape, I decided to get the CD because it could be programmed to run continuously, as Geof had requested.

Arriving back at the room I set about placing the brand new CD player where he could reach the controls and the external speakers were arranged so he would get the full effect of the stereo sound. Next I placed the CD in the compartment, set the repeat function and pressed the play button.

Being duly impressed with myself for having been able to finish the task Geof had put me to, I couldn’t wait to hear the beautiful sound the new equipment would bring forth and the satisfaction Geof would get from it.

Ten seconds passed and there was no sound. Fifteen seconds. Thirty and still nothing even though the CD was turning for all it was worth. A check of the volume showed it was already halfway so I cranked it all the way up. Even then it was barely audible. “Geof”, I said, “You can’t hear that. I’ll take it back and get a better one.” And in a voice that wasn’t much louder than the CD player he said, “Don’t bother. My soul can hear it.”

My soul can hear it. A sermon in five words - preached by a man whose life was hard but who had finally accepted the love that came down at Christmas and who shared it with everyone. That’s what we’re supposed to do, you know. Share Christ’s love with everyone – every soul!

Prayer: Dear God, let my soul hear Christ’s words so as to strengthen my faith. Then help me preach His word for other souls to hear. Amen.

Mace Sturm