How to hear the voice of God
Monday, December 11, 2017
In about Year 8, I wrote a book.
Ok, actually, I co-authored it with my mum. I shouldn't bring her in to this because I didn't get very good marks... and she is a wonderful writer.
But together we wrote a book and, despite my marks, I am proud of it.
It was a picture book for a Christian Studies assignment about hearing God's voice.
We wrote about the familiar sound of hearing your best friends voice call your name from the other side of the playground.
That's sort of what it's like to hear God's voice.
He speaks clearly, but softly.
He's familiar, but gentle.
I can't remember if I chose that topic or if I was given it, but either way my teacher didn't like my response. She wanted my book to read something like, "you hear God's voice by reading the Bible."
Now don't get me wrong, that is the most clear and reliable way to hear God's voice... but it is not the only way he speaks. He speaks in SO many ways.
My teacher was wrong to mark my work as incorrect.
And I hope since then she has heard the intimate and personal voice of God.
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| Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash |
Well, he does, he speaks loud and clear in the Bible.
But maybe they don't hear him in other ways because he doesn't speak how they expect him to.
Steven Furtick says this,
"Most people go through life thinking God never speaks to them when in face He's always speaking. To everyone. Always directing. Sometimes warning. Sometimes affirming. But we hear so little of what He says..."
I think they might expect him to yell to them. To call out. To make a fuss. To do something huge.
We expect him to speak so we can hear and know and obey his voice.
But he doesn’t always speak in the ways we expect.
He usually speaks in a whisper: a gentle whisper, a still small voice, a silence that can be heard.
But why?
“If God wants us to hear and know and obey His voice, why does He whisper?”
Furtick asks this question, and his answer impacts everything.
“He whispers because He’s close.”
Did you get that?
It's not just like my book where the voice is familiar but quiet because the friend is a long way off, in fact,
It's not just like my book where the voice is familiar but quiet because the friend is a long way off, in fact,
“He whispers because He’s close.”
There’s no need for him to shout.
There’s no need for him to stamp his feet and make a fuss.
He whispers because He’s close.
He has come near to us.
He is still near to you.
Embrace the stillness.
Get to know him.
Learn his voice.
Listen to the whisper.
