Please O Please Hear the Word of the Lord

 By Kevin Cauley

“O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD” is the great proclamation of Jeremiah (22:29). When we look on all the problems that the world faces today. Whether we should wage war against one country or another; whether we should spend money on this program or that; whether an individual will stop drinking and reform his life. We shout from the rooftops with Jeremiah “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD!” Herein lies the solution to all of earth’s problems regardless of how great or small the problem may be. Do we truly listen to the word of the Lord? Do we truly read it for what it is worth and bow ourselves in obeisance to it? Therein lies the greatest problem for all mankind-the attitude of not listening to God’s word. And listening implies obedience from God’s standpoint. If one has not obeyed, one has not truly listened. “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD!”

I remember as a high school student being asked the question, “If you were granted one wish, what would it be?” Those who wished for “world peace” were always the ones who stood out as seeming wiser than others. However, I now know exactly what to wish for. My wish would be for the world to listen to God’s word and obey it. What a simple, but profound solution to all the problems of mankind whether big or small. In truth, there is only one problem that is truly a problem-the refusal of man to heed the word of God. “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD!”

I remember as a high school student being asked the question, “If you were granted one wish, what would it be?” Those who wished for “world peace” were always the ones who stood out as seeming wiser than others. However, I now know exactly what to wish for. My wish would be for the world to listen to God’s word and obey it. What a simple, but profound solution to all the problems of mankind whether big or small. In truth, there is only one problem that is truly a problem-the refusal of man to heed the word of God. “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD!”

Does not God look down upon this earth as an experienced father would look at his teenage children and say, “If they would only listen to me, I would be able to help them?” But in rebellion and stubbornness, we refuse to listen. Would that every man would take up God’s challenge to them as found in Malachi 3:10, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Go ahead and take up God’s challenge. Hear his word and obey it and see if he won’t bless you! Don’t you believe that every good father who has ever had teenage children wants them to understand this-that life for them would be so much easier if they would just listen! This is the message that God has for us as His creation. “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD!”

We sing the children’s song, “The wise man built his house upon a rock.” Do we listen to the very song we teach our children? Jesus said, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. . .” (Matthew 7:24). The wise man listens to Jesus and acts upon what he hears. Who does Jesus define as the foolish man? “And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. . .” (Matthew 7:26). Wise or foolish–the choice stands before us today. “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD!”