“(Jesus’ words were) like a fire burning in us when He talked to us . .” Luke 24:32 TEV
“The more room in your heart for God’s Word, the more you will hear His voice.”
My thoughts today are about “hearing God speak.”
Have you ever wondered what God sounds like when He speaks? I always thought God must sound a lot like my father when I heard him say, “Allen Ray . .” Correction was the only time my middle name was used, it seems. There were plenty of times I needed that, but if my Dad had only spoken to me when I needed correction, we would not have had much of a relationship and I would not be any wiser about his heart or about life.
Is God silent, leaving you to guess His thoughts, or does He speak only when He corrects? This is an important question. Your understanding (or misunderstanding) of God, has much to do with your relationship and expectations of God. You cannot live wisely, nor relate to God honestly and confidently, without a true conviction about who God is,
Elijah was frightened and confused. Death threats had been issued by an angry Queen Jezebel, and he fled for his life until he collapsed, too exhausted to run any further. He despaired of life, feeling alone and forgotten. Read 1 Kings 19:1-18. Then God met this fearful fugitive, and Elijah made the effort to place himself where God would speak to him, and God did but not in the way he may have expected.
“’Go stand before Me on the mountain’ . . the Lord passed by . . and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain . . with such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind . . there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake . . there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after . . there was the sound of a gentle whisper, and the Lord said . .” 1 Kings 19:11-13 NLT. The storm, earthquake, and fire would have only heightened Elijah’s fear, if God were to speak through natural elements. And would Elijah have been any more clear about the current moment in his life?
Elijah needed God to speak in a way that he could and would hear Him. God’s voice was gentle, just what a man already overly stressed would need; God’s voice was a whisper, so a man so distracted already would have to listen more closely to hear what God wanted to say to him. God’s words were directional – about his future, not the past – exactly what a man lost in his fearful circumstance needed to hear.
My feeling is that God can be no more involved in your everyday life than you invite and include Him to be. He wishes to communicate with you. He wants you to know Him, and understand His heart and thoughts. The only way that is possible is that He reveals Himself to you. Know this about God: He reveals, not conceals. He is inclusive, not elusive. He gives direction, ahead of correction.
As you read the narrative – Read Luke 24:13-35 – of today’s verse, you may notice that God spoke to these disciples in ways He will speak with you – through others (vs. 22-24), through Scripture (vs. 26-27), and within your heart, “They said to each other, ‘Wasn’t it like a fire burning in us when He talked with us, and explained the Scriptures to us?’” (vs. 31-32). You do not choose the way He speaks; you can choose to listen! Revelation 3:20 NIV. The more room in your heart for God’s Word, the more you will hear His voice.
My prayer for you today is: love God’s Word; listen for His voice; and do as He says.