My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and
they follow me. I give
them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one
will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28
God’s voice, His voice, what does that make you think
of? Do you have memory or experience?
I feel that God’s voice is sometimes viewed as more of an
illusion. Rather than a real experience
or a real audible sound it is something that is just out of our reach or maybe
in our imagination. I think Hollywood
has encouraged this thought process. If
you do not hear God’s voice as in the
Ten Commandments or if it is not booming
or distinctly clear as in Oh God!,
then maybe it was not really God?
I believe that God is always clear, but that we don’t fully
understand. I believe that God is loud
enough, whether it is a shout or a whisper.
I also believe that we have an active part in hearing God’s voice. We
have to listen. We have to quiet our
life. In all of the noise and busyness
we have to focus on Him. When we focus
on Him then we can recognize His voice.
Just as one wise child said a few Sunday ago, “If the sheep hear another
voice they may be worried.” Oh how many
times I have listened to the other voices in my life and I have worried. The devil is great at impressions and an
amazing impersonator. He can tempt us,
trick us and mislead us. God does not do
or will not do any of these. So this is
where we have to take the time and use discernment. Discernment can be hard. The background noise of life can be LOUD and
overwhelming. We have to make the choice
to find a place to, “Be still, and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10. But if I am honest there is a peace that
passes understanding, when I listen and follow God, the worry simply is not
there. Sometimes I feel silly when I
look back at my actions and choices and worries. Why did I invest all of the time and energy
worrying? Why didn’t I just listen and follow?
I would like to challenge you to take the time to spend time
with God. Be in His word, in prayer, in
quiet, in peace, in conversation and most important in relationship with our
Lord and Heavenly Father.
Dear Lord, please help me to quiet myself. Lord, please quiet my mind,
heart and the world around me. Father,
help me to focus on you and put the effort and time in to our relationship that
it needs to grow and flourish. In your
name Amen.
Written and submitted by Jodie Wilson
