Any mother knows the sound of her baby’s cry. Parents know their children’s voices. And Jesus knows your voice. But here’s the question for us today: “Do I know the voice of God?”
It’s not enough to just hear God’s voice. Because He is speaking through His Word all the time. But we must take time to listen. I like the Good News Bible version of John 10:27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.” Listening is different than hearing. There is noise all around us. But listening means you want to understand. And then take it a step further. Jesus said His sheep follow Him. That means obey what He is saying. That’s where it gets tough sometimes.
When I have a busy agenda, I don’t always want to take time to be quiet and listen. And those days I certainly don’t want to be interrupted with something else to do! But have you noticed that when you obey you are always rewarded? God is not waiting to interrupt you and take from you. Rather, He is looking for people who will listen and help somebody else.
We often wonder why bad things happen to good people. I think it’s because God couldn’t find anybody listening and willing to pray for that person who is in a bad situation.
God’s voice is primarily coming through Scripture. He also speaks to our spirits. Excessive thinking and noise around can block out His voice. 1 Kings 19:11-12 describes God’s voice as quiet and whispering. Let’s learn to take time to be quiet after we read His Word and pray so we can hear Him. Simply ask Him, “Lord, is there anything else you want to say to me today?”
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