Let’s talk about hearing God’s voice in our life.
John 10:27 (NLT) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
The reason sheep listen to the shepherd’s voice is because they have spent enough time around that person to understand the shepherd cares about them and wants what’s best for them. They know their shepherd can handle any situation that comes up that might put them in danger and can guide them when they don’t know where to go. The sheep know the shepherd’s voice.
God is our shepherd. Do we know God’s voice? Are we spending time with Him?
Think back to when you were a kid. Now imagine you are lost in a mall. I’m sure if you closed your eyes and listened to all the noises of people talking and walking around, you could probably pick out your mom’s voice yelling your name trying to find you because you know your mom’s voice. Why? You have spent your whole life with her.
When it comes to hearing God’s voice, you might hear His voice differently than I hear His voice.
Let’s look at a few scriptures of when Moses heard God’s voice.
Exodus 3:1-4 (NLT) One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” 4 When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied.
God spoke to Moses through a burning bush. That’s quite an experience!
Now let’s look at some scriptures when Elijah heard God’s voice.
1 Kings 19:11-14 (NLT) 11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
There is something I noticed after reading the experiences both Moses and Elijah had in hearing God’s voice. They went to the same place, Mount Sinai, yet had a completely different experience when it came to hearing God’s voice.
Just because you may be in a similar location, similar season of life, or go to the same church as someone doesn’t mean God is going to speak to you the same way He speaks to them.
One guaranteed way we can hear from God is to spend time reading the Bible, which 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us is “inspired by God”. We can hear directly from Him as we open the Bible!
I encourage you to pray this today: God, speak to me, and help me slow down and take time to spend with you so I can hear your voice more clearly in my life. Amen.
-Travis Seidel