He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
Read Chapter 28
Bede
AD 735
Let [anyone] beg, however, in faith, in no way hesitating. Let him, by living well, show himself to be worthy of being heard when he begs. For anyone who remembers that he has not obeyed the Lord’s commands rightly loses hope that the Lord pays attention to his prayers. For it has been written, “The prayer of one who closes his ear that he may not hear the law will be detestable.”
What is written in the book of Solomon we ought to read with great anxiety and fear, not with indifference: “He that hardens his ears from hearing the law, his prayer shall be an abomination.” A person should first be willing to listen to God, if he wants to be heard by him. Indeed, with what boldness does he want God to hear him when he despises God so much that he refuses to read God’s precepts? How is it, my brothers, that some Christians and, what is worse, even clergy, at times, when they are about to make a journey, order bread, wine, oil, and different items to be provided for themselves, but, while such great preparations are being made for his earthly journey so that his body may live, a man does not bother to read a single book to refresh his soul both here and forever? Sermon–.
Just as Scripture says, “When one turns away his ears from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” Why should we be surprised, then, if God is slow to hear our petitions when we on our part are slow to hear God’s command or pay no attention whatever to it? Dialogue
