Hearing Voices

Animals, specifically pets, know our voices. Their heads turn when we call their names.

They look at us expectantly, probably hoping for a treat.

How about the cat or dog that hears the voice of their master on the phone while the

master is gone? Often times they are confused or excited. Their excitement grows when

they sense the master is coming home. They anticipate the master’s arrival and are

beside themselves with joy when the master walks through the door. They cannot get

close enough to the master to express their joy. Their tails wag, they whine, they speak,

they jump, and they want to cuddle and receive loving pets from the master. Multiple

pets will jockey for position at the master’s feet.

Now look at sheep. Sheep aren’t very smart. Ever wonder why the followers of Christ

are called sheep? It’s not exactly a compliment! They tend to follow their shepherd and

not think for themselves. It isn’t a terrible quality to follow the shepherd. Sheep know

their own shepherd’s voice. Often different flocks of sheep are kept in the same pen,

and each day when the shepherd comes and calls for his flock, they immediately follow

the sound of his voice. They mill about his feet, all desiring to be close to him. In John

10:3, Jesus said, “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he

calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

Think about how you can pick out a familiar voice in a large crowd. Doesn’t it thrill you to

hear the voice of a loved one whose return has been long anticipated? (think military or

college student) We know how to hear the ones we love when they call to us.

Jesus can hear us calling out in the vast multitude of voices. He hears us because He

knows and loves us. He hears our needs. He hears YOU!

We need to be able to hear Him amidst the chaos of life. Many things clamor for our

attention. It’s vital and essential for us to hear His voice. We learn to hear Him when we

learn to listen. Listening is learned when we still ourselves and rest. Often that comes

through setting aside time to pull away and read His word, pray, and listen to what He

says. He delights over us with singing. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am

God.” The NLT version says, “Cease striving” instead of be still.

How can we delight in Him? We can start by being delighted when we hear His voice.

We can be excited to hear His voice when He calls. Many times we tell God that we

can’t hear Him. Examine your heart’s attitude when you tell Him that. Are you standing

looking at God with your hand firmly clapped over your ears like a toddler? I know I’ve

been in the position many times. God is asking you gently to remove your hands from

over your ears so you can hear Him speak to you.

What is He asking you to do? Follow Him. That’s it. He will lead you where He wants

you to go. Surrender your heart, mind, and soul to Him. He will give you the strength

and courage you need to be fully His.

What voices are you hearing today? Are you listening to the siren song of the world? Or

do you have your heart tuned to God’s frequency? Come away with Him. He is calling

you. Delight in hearing His voice and responding to Him.

New International Version (NIV)

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