KSC’s Blog

Came back from LifeGroup last night … what an amazing time. Just really was encouraged and “felt” like we were doing life together. Our study was on attentiveness. Attentiveness to one another, to God and God’s to us.

In the book, John Ortberg gives a great insight about God’s blessing:

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

He says:

To turn your face toward someone is to give them your wholehearted, undivided attention. It is not the casual listening of a preoccupied mind. It is a statement saying, “I have nothing else to do, nowhever I’d rather be. I’m fully devoted to being with you.” This is the kind of attention God devotes to us.

What is attentiveness:
• remembering - love is in the details … remember people’s birthdays, remember signficant events, remember what people like …
• noticing - notice, observe, take time to use the power that we have to delight each other’s heart when we notice and celebrate each other
• listening - turn your face, give people your undivided attention, listen to them

There are people around you today who need more than anything else for you to “put down the newspaper” and pay attention. When you are sitting around the kitchen table or within the circle of your small group and someone speaks, “turn your face” to them. Look them in the eye. Give them your undivided attention. Be fully present with them for that moment - even if it’s only that moment. Listen to the words of their mouth. Listen to the words of their heart.

So, here were the spiritual exercises from this lesson:
• When a person is talking, make eye contact. Literally, “turn your face toward them.” Give them your full attention.
• Make every effort to be fully present in the conversation. If your mind starts racing to other things you must do, just stop.
• Commit, at least for this week, that you will not interrupt.
• Try to enter into the person’s experience as you listen. What are the feeelings behind the words?
• Resist the temptation to formulate what you’ll say next while the other person is speaking. If there’s a pause in the conversation, avoide shifting the focus to yourself. Stay with the person and their story (bold added)
• As you listen to another person, listen with a “third ear” - one attuned to the Holy Spirit. What might God be saying to you through this person? What might God want to say to this person through you?

Wow, this is what I really needed to hear. How easy is it to look at whatever you are doing when someone is talking to you? How important is it to “turn your face” toward them and listen, really listen to them by being attentive? How incredible is it that the God of the universe is turning his face toward me, giving me His undivided attention?

God, thank you for the reminder that you care about the details of my life and that you remember, notice and listen to me. Thank you for my LifeGroup, that you chose to use them to remind me of this important principle. Give me strength to “turn my face” to my family, friends and those whom I minister to.