Listening to Heartbeats and Thy Word
Because of our daughter Jennifer’s acute and chronic health problems related to cerebral palsy, it was incumbent upon us to learn a few things about her physiology and monitor her health as much as we could. So, unlike most families, we had a stethoscope at home. And every time I say the word “stethoscope” I think about the beautiful way that Stephanie as a young girl would say the word, “Carebacope.” Not sure how she came up with that, but it sounds easier to say than the original.
Our primary concern for Jennifer was her respiration. We learned to listen for lung issues. On occasion, as I had tuned my ears to listen for the flow of air… an anomalous heart rate would catch my attention. It is amazing how an ear can be tuned to listen for a specific sound, so much so that the ear often ignores other louder sounds. Jesus is training us to listen for His Word, while Satan trains ears to listen to the world.
Cardiologists describe 4 specific sounds that they typically listen for, the 4th sound being heard only if serious cardiac problems exist. But a trained ear can also listen for heart murmurs, and even changes in blood flow in some of the larger vessels. I have tried to listen for the 4 sounds, but typically all I hear is the “lub-dub” which seems to be the universal terminology of the primary sounds of the heart. I used to think that these heart sounds were the pumping of the blood, but apparently most of the sound is coming from the closure of two sets of valves in the heart. Curiously, the larger valves coming from the atrium and going to the ventricle, (the initial “lub” sound), is softer than the smaller valves, which control the flow to the large pulmonary artery and aortic valve (the “dub” sound). The smaller valves are louder because the pressure is higher in the ventricle.
Usually, we would be listening for lung sounds if we suspected Jennifer was getting sick. And on occasion when I heard how fast her heart was racing, it was another clue that her lungs might be compromised; her heart was working harder to get the oxygen necessary through her body. It is all an amazing system of blood gas monitoring, the medulla and heart responding, and the natural response of chemicals upon arteriolar muscle to enhance or restrict blood flow.
Jesus tells a beautiful and memorable parable that brings together the heart, listening, and systems in the world and in the kingdom of God in Matthew 13. The primary parable in this chapter of parables is usually called “The Parable of the Sower.” Jesus begins to describe 4 different responses to seed sown in various places. The disciples interrupt Jesus and ask Him why He speaks in parables. Once again, Jesus explains on the basis of an Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah. He says “… The heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear…” (Matthew 13:15a)
The relationship between the health of our heart/soul and the ability of our ears to both hear and listen with understanding is linear. Some people are like the disciples who wanted to listen and are tuning ear and heart to hear and understand. Others have dull ears and dull hearing…. The real problem is a dull heart. How did these hearts get dull? The Parable of the Sower describes systemic issues: outside influences stunting growth: no depth of root, affliction, worries, the deceitfulness of riches. Like the human body, the world is filled with its own system which sadly “dulls” the heart and the ears.
At the end of the quote from Isaiah, Jesus offers hope. “… Should they hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return, and I should heal them.” (Matthew 13:15b)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, always give us listening hearts. Give Your saints “sharp hearts” aware of the world’s Satanic systems and simultaneously attuned to Your Word. Amen.