Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hear God’s voice? Have you ever wondered why some people seem to hear Him so easily and others seem to struggle? Have you ever wondered what it sounds like? Have you ever just stopped to listen…really listen?
I’ve been pondering about hearing God’s voice for a while…a whole lot recently. This morning I decided to look up “voice” in scripture to see if I could wrap my head…and my heart… around some things I’ve been pondering. BibleGateway.com lists 210 scriptures with the word voice in them. Of course many of them are not referring to God’s voice, but MANY of them are. This subject of hearing His voice is surely going to take time to unravel. I’m beginning to wonder if it isn’t one of those things that takes a lifetime to unfold. Maybe He speaks to us differently in each season of our life with Him. Maybe He speaks differently according to our circumstances. Maybe He speaks differently according to our gifting and the way we are individually wired. He obviously didn’t wire us all the same way, so it would make sense that He doesn’t speak to us all the same way. He refers to us as being different parts of the body…some being eyes…some being ears…some being feet…some being… Eyes obviously don’t hear and ears obviously don’t see…yet they both “hear” his voice as His sheep. And what about the feet…?
I’m quickly learning that God doesn’t fit in a box…neither does His voice.
It is a gentle whisper….
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain(T) in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”(U)
Then a great and powerful wind(V) tore the mountains apart and shattered(W) the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire,(X) but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. – 1 Kings 19:11-12
It is powerful and majestic…
The voice(E) of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory(F) thunders,(G)
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.(H)
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;(I)
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.(J)
6 He makes Lebanon leap(K) like a calf,
Sirion[b](L) like a young wild ox.(M)
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.(N)
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.(O)
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks[c](P)
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” – Psalm 29:3-9
“At this my heart pounds(A)
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen!(B) Listen to the roar of his voice,(C)
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.(D)
3 He unleashes his lightning(E) beneath the whole heaven
and sends it to the ends of the earth.(F)
4 After that comes the sound of his roar;
he thunders(G) with his majestic voice.(H)
When his voice resounds,
he holds nothing back.
5 God’s voice thunders(I) in marvelous ways;(J)
he does great things beyond our understanding.(K)
6 He says to the snow,(L) ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’(M)
7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,(N)
he stops all people from their labor.[a](O)
8 The animals take cover;(P)
they remain in their dens.(Q)
9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,(R)
the cold from the driving winds.(S)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the broad waters become frozen.(T)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;(U)
he scatters his lightning(V) through them.(W)
12 At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.(X)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,(Y)
or to water his earth and show his love. – Job 37:1-13
THE GREAT NEWS?? We can hear it and recognize it!
2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.(B) 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.(C) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.(D) 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. – John 10:2-4
I don’t know what it’s supposed to look or sound like for you. I don’t know what it’s supposed to look and sound like for me. I know we can hear it in His written word. I know we can hear it through the Spirit speaking to our spirit. (Romans 8) The more I read and dig and listen…the clearer it will become…that I am sure of.
Thank you Lord for letting us hear your voice…please teach us how to listen…to ALL the ways you speak.
Now…I wonder if those feet hear better with or without their shoes on?
Wow! This month has sure flown by. It has been fun reading how thankful everyone is on Facebook. I kinda like the reprieve from negativity the month of November brings. I’ve noticed it is very difficult, if not impossible, to be negative when you are being thankful. I know a month of thankful updates has done this heart good.
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