It seems to me that we live in a world of ever-increasing noise. Social media, the news, more and more TV streams and podcasts to choose from, vociferous political voices, crises to navigate and traffic that seems to keep growing and growing… I just wonder whether it doesn’t all overwhelm our senses without us even noticing at times! It is time to be seeing clearly!
In the midst of our noisy lives, filled with conflicting messages and opinions, it can be hard to know what is real and what is true. But I want to remind us that there IS a still small voice, that always speaks truth – God’s voice.
I also want to remind us all that as followers of Jesus, He desires that we HEAR Him. Jesus says in John 10:27 “that his own sheep WILL hear His voice.” God has given all of us the capacity, the ability, and the right to hear His voice as His children. However, it is up to us to incline our ears to listen.
Hearing God’s voice clearly requires closeness to the One who is speaking. If you shout across a crowded, noisy room to your friend – It’s unlikely that they will hear or understand what you are saying, but when you are standing right beside them, it is easier of course to hear.
It is the same in our relationship with God. We must be intentional to reduce the noise in our lives, and to carve out time to draw close to Him. We can draw close to God through spending time in His Word, through prayer, and through relationship with other believers who can encourage us along our way.
The first and most important thing we need to remember in seeking to hear God’s voice is that His Word IS His voice. Anything that goes against the Word of God, isn’t God’s voice. We can hold everything we hear and do up against the Word of God, it is the compass by which we live our lives to both hear and DO what God has asked.
God longs for us to hear Him. He is not trying to trick us or deceive us. God’s voice is His Word, and His Word is TRUTH. This weekend can I encourage us to take some time to tune out the world around us, and tune IN to the voice of God.