Daily Devotional

“She conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.’ And she called his name Simeon” (Genesis 29:33). 

Most people are sensitive to loud noises. Our ears were created with a normal acoustic reflex response that protects the inner ear from damaging sounds. But some people have a rare condition called hyperacusis, marked by significant sensitivity to certain everyday sounds that might seem normal or even pleasant to some. The sound of running faucet water, walking on leaves, or shuffling papers can be pain- fully loud for those with this condition. 

Hyperacusis comes from a problem in the way the brain’s auditory processing centre perceives noise. It can lead people to isolate themselves and even suffer from depression. There are a variety of causes for this condition, which has affected people like Ludwig van Beethoven and Bobby Fischer. Sound therapy is the most common treatment for this disorder. 

Leah was not Jacob’s first choice for a wife. She knew her husband loved Rachel, her younger sister, more than herself. When she conceived and bore her second child, she said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also” (Genesis 29:33). So, she named her son “heard,” which is the meaning of the Hebrew name Simeon. 

The Lord is extremely sensitive to the sounds of prayer. God can hear even the unspoken cries of our heart when we are lonely or feel unloved. It’s not because the Lord has hyperacusis; our whispers to God bring Him pleasure. David wrote, “I sought the Lord, and He heard me. … This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him” (Psalm 34:4, 6). He then added, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry” (verse 15). 

Can you imagine being named “God hears me”? What an affirmation to know, each time your name is spoken, that Someone is sensitive to the quietest word you speak to Him. 

Dear heavenly Father, You are so much more willing to hear me pray than I am willing to listen to others.