Eliminate The Distractions

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ELIMINATE THE DISTRACTIONS

Sunday July 16 2006

Mark 8:13-18

13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.

14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.

15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.

17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?

18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

INTRO:

Back when the telegraph was the fastest method of long distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse code operator.

Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office address that was listed.

When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background.

A sign on the receptionist’s counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office.

The young man filled out his form and sat down with the seven other applicants in the waiting area. After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in.

Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on.

They muttered among themselves that they hadn’t heard any summons yet.

They assumed that the young man who went into the office made a mistake and would be disqualified.

Within a few minutes, however, the employer escorted the young man out of the office and said to the other applicants, "Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the job has just been filled."

The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and one spoke up saying, "Wait a minute, I don’t understand.

He was the last to come in, and we never even got a chance to be interviewed.

Yet he got the job. That’s not fair!"

The employer said, "I’m sorry, but all the time you’ve been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message in Morse code:

’If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.’

None of you heard it or understood it.

This young man did. The job is his."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are our ears tuned to His voice??

Now, there are some things that interest me about this story!

This young man was not the FIRST one there!

There were probably men with higher qualifications!

There may have been men who were better dressed.

Maybe they were comparing themselves among themselves, and touting their own qualifications!

Maybe each one was telling the other why he deserved the job!

Maybe they were arguing about who was right and who was wrong for the position!

But, while they sat there this young man waltzed right in and got the job!

But, the reason this young man got the job was because he was listening for the right voice!

Somehow he had eliminated all distractions, all outside influences!

While others were pre-occupied with other conversations, although worthwhile they may have been, they missed the main message!

While others were talking among themselves, the small, unobtrusive voice of the telegraph machine went unnoticed!