You're listening to Encounter, a simple daily podcast to help you find the sacred in the ordinary.

We have 100 meditation episodes on this podcast, but if you want to listen for free to the entire library of 500,

I encourage you to download the Encountering Peace mobile app where all the meditations

are free, as they should be.

Where do you normally listen to encounter?

Most tell me it's at home, in the morning, in bed, resting in the peaceful quiet of sunrise. But even there, you're surrounded by softly whispered noises, aren't you?

Really, no matter where you are, the sounds of the world or even the sounds within your

mind can be a distraction. You may hear the words, but are you listening to them? Hearing simply

happens when sound falls on your ear. Listening, however, is something you choose to do. Listening requires concentration

to process meaning from what you hear. Well, this meditation from Matthew chapter 11 is about

listening, hearing the sounds of the world and listening for their meaning, hearing the reverberations

of God's creation and listening for their substance, listening for the significance

of what you hear. So to begin, whether blanketed in the soft whispers of the morning or the echoes of the evening,

allow the next 15 minutes to be a retreat to contemplate and listen for God.

As your eyes begin to close without effort,

center on this place of surrender for a still moment,

this time of yielding, and a prayer of listening to the presence of God chapter 21 and as I lead us respond simply

Lord help me to listen and may he bless the reading of his word. He will wipe away every

tear from their eyes and there will no longer be death. Lord, help me listen. There will no longer

be sorrow or anguish or crying or pain. Lord, help me to listen.

For the former order of things has passed away. So, Lord, help me to listen for the new.

Continue to listen for a moment longer.

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