The television show The Voice premiered in America in 2011. The concept behind the show is, the coaches, well known and successful artists representing different genres of music sit facing the audience while contestants auditioning for the show take to the stage and sing. The idea is for the coaches to not be influenced by the appearance of the contestants, it’s all about “the voice”, not the body. If, during the audition one or more of the coaches hear something compelling in the contestants they turn their chair around and only then do they get to see what the contestant looks like.
When I think about hearing a disembodied voice, of course I think about God. The one whose voice those of us who identify as Christians should recognize. Jesus said in John 10:27 that His sheep hear His voice, but more than that they follow Him. But in order to recognize His voice there has to be a relationship with Him. Think about it, if you were in a crowded, noisy place and heard your name called from across the room, you would know immediately if it were your spouse or one of your children. Mothers of infant children know their baby’s cry no matter how many other crying babies are present. God wants our relationship with Him to have a level of intimacy that even in the midst of our busy, noisy, stressful, sometimes chaotic lives, His voice still gets our attention. But there are also times when we have to slow ourselves down and get in a quiet space in order to hear what the Bible describes as His still, small voice (I Kings 19:12 NKJV). The primary way God speaks to us nowadays is through His Word. However, sometimes His voice is audible. I have certainly experienced it, not many times, but often enough to know to obey when I hear it. Because the times I didn’t, I ended up wishing that I had. And I’m sure many of you may have had a similar experience. In Luke 11:28 Jesus said “…blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”. So, if you consider yourself to be one whom Jesus refers to as His sheep, the next time you read it or hear it, obey THE VOICE.
THROUGH THE STORM 