"Spiritually Blind...Spiritually Deaf"
Matthew 13:13

In Isaiah 6:9, 10, (about 700 years before Christ) the prophet received a commission from God to be stern with His people. od said to tell them, (with a bit of sarcasm) in His frustration: "Keep on hearing, but do not understand, keep on seeing, but do not perceive…"

Centuries later, our Lord was prompted to use the same language when His disciples asked Him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" Jesus said, "I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." He, then, went on to declare that "…in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled…"

Today, almost twenty centuries later, the prophecy of Isaiah is continuing to be fulfilled. There are two different kinds of blindness and deafness…physical and spiritual. There are those who have been afflicted with a degenerative eye disease or injury to the eyes and the can no longer see...or cannot see as well as they once did. There are also those who no longer hear the sound ranges and tones as they once did. This is a sad state of affairs, it is true. But sadder still are those who can see God in the marvelous creation all around them but choose to believe there is no God. Sadder still are those can see to read the word of God and simply choose not to adhere to it. Sadder still are those who hear sermons, bible classes and other instruction from God's word, but choose not to follow it. This is spiritual blindness and deafness.

Many people are blinded by preconceived notions of what God requires of them. Many hear sermons and attend bible classes but go away and never put into practice the things that they heard or otherwise think it unnecessary. Preconceived notions are born of a failure to search God's word for the truth.

We can guard against spiritual blindness and deafness by coming to an understanding of what God has said through His word and letting His word guide our lives. Let's resolve to be more diligent with the things we see and hear from God's word and try to minimize the distractions in our lives.