Too Much Noise -- Too Little Hearing God's Voice

Back to reality from being away in our favorite fishing location. Wifi is spotty there – so not the place to be for being entertained by current world events. But, who cared? We were immersed in the beauty and sounds of creation. It just seemed God’s quiet voice could be heard there so much easier.

So, back to my routine here at home. Instead of choosing the silence to hear His voice, I put in my new cordless ear buds, silenced the sounds of the great outdoors and let my upbeat Christian music blare in my ears. The first song was too loud. I turned the volume down. Second song was too slow and I got the message from Heaven Central. I could sense God wanted my undivided attention. As soon as I “unplugged” while walking westward at 5:55 am – the most incredible view of the moon going down came into vision. It was like the Man in the Moon was winking at me – all bright with his orange glow. Then I looked eastward, and there was God showing off His artistry with an incredible sky painting. It took my breath away.

I posted those two heaven-sent views yesterday with the confession that I almost missed it all because of the noise. I posted: “I think God is saying something to me and you. Let’s shut out the noise and listen and watch for Him in the middle of it all.” I sincerely got the message: “less noise – more Him”.

I’ve come to terms with God being a quiet God. Yes, He speaks, but He seems to say it best when He chooses to communicate through His creation. I know He is free to speak loud and boisterous like when He blasted out: “I Am that I Am” to Moses, but He most often chooses to speak in quiet ways. Though He wows our eyes with His masterpieces, He usually reveals Himself to our ears -- quietly.

All around us, humanity is shouting and screaming about something they agree or disagree with -- while God whispers His presence and reveals His character through the brother and sisterhood we are witnessing as well. This noisy world, and our quiet God, are a reason so many people don't believe God is real or loving. Having not heard from Him, they assume He doesn’t exist. But He does…He just speaks with a softer voice than the crass, loud voices.

If ever humanity needs to pay attention to hear God speaking, it is today. If we aren’t intentional in seeking to hear His voice, we will likely never hear Him. Not in this culture. Not in the noisyness of our times. I am convinced that our gracious heavenly Father speaks to every one of His children constantly, giving us all the information and guidance we need to be total overcomers. There isn’t a problem with His transmitter; it’s our receiver that needs help.

Most people are imploring God to speak, when it’s our hearing that needs to be adjusted. Taking this faith-stance that God is speaking and then learning to listen and obey will transform our relationship with the Lord. It could save our lives.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27

I Hear You, But I'm Not Listening

A concerned husband went to his doctor and said, "Doc, I think my wife is going deaf. What can I do?" The doctor replies: “Go home and stand 15 feet from her and speak to her. If she doesn’t reply, move 5 feet closer and say it again. Keep doing this so we’ll get an idea about the severity of her deafness.” The man goes home and does as directed. He starts off standing 15 feet from his wife in the kitchen as she is chopping vegetables and says, “Honey, what’s for dinner?” He hears no response. He moves 5 feet closer and asks again. No reply. He moves 5 feet closer. Still no reply. He gets fed up and moves right behind her, about an inch away, and asks loudly, “Honey, what’s for dinner?” She replies, “For the fourth time, vegetable stew!”

I thought about that story this weekend when I was in a prayer team (common to a Holy Spirit 101 retreat or healing night) of four people. I noticed a man continuing to turn his left ear in the direction of the person who was speaking, time and time again. After we had individually prayed for each one in this group, I asked the man if he’d like prayer for his hearing. He quickly said, “I don’t have a problem with hearing, but my wife thinks I do. Actually, the problem isn’t hearing – it’s listening.” He amused us enough for each of us to compare notes on how well we listen – especially to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

I think this cartoon best describes why we're not hearing. The message is clear and true to our lives. Jesus said, "My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:" (John 10:27). I wonder if He had in mind how difficult "listening for His voice" would be in 2019? Of course, He did. And, if ever we needed to hear His voice, it is in this day and time. So many voices chiming in, so many distractions each and every day and being pulled by our social media apps and electronics that keep us nose-dived into content overload.

We need the Holy Spirit’s wisdom, comfort, guidance, peace, and direction. Of course, we long to hear His voice, but in the busy-ness, the clamor and the many, many activities and distractions of everyday life, oftentimes, we may be hard-pressed to find that quiet PLACE where we can go for solace, rest and peace, and hear the voice of our Shepherd. And, even when we manage to find that place, like in this cartoon, the noise of our cell phones, radios, computers, TV, etc. -- keeps us distracted from hearing our Shepherd's voice.

We need to find that place where His voice comes through loud and clear to us. Oh, He has that place -- and we can find it, but it's up to us to disregard the distractions to "Be still (that’s a feat in itself) to hear and know our God." And, I'm not referring to a far-away island in the middle of no-where. It's possible to find that place if only for a few minutes in our day, to "Come away with Him"!

Matthew 13:13 -- Jesus said, “This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’”

His Sheep Listen to His Voice

Funny cartoon -- but, the message is clear and VERY real to our lives. Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" (John 10:27) . Wonder if He had in mind how difficult "listening for His voice" would be in 2014? And, more than ever, we really need to hear His voice. We need His wisdom, comfort, guidance, peace, and direction. Of course, we long to hear His voice, but in the busy-ness, the clamor and the many, many activities and distractions of everyday life, oftentimes, we may be hard-pressed to find that quiet PLACE where we can go for solace, rest and peace, and hear the voice of our Shepherd. And, even when we manage to find that place, "noise" -- our cell phones, iPods, radios, computers, TV, etc. -- keeps us distracted from hearing our Shepherd's voice.

Seems that it's time to find that place where His voice comes through loud and clear to us. Oh, He has that place -- and we can find it, but it's up to us, to disregard the distractions to "Be still -- to hear and know our God." And, I'm not referring to a far off island in the middle of no-where. It's possible to find that place, if only for a few minutes in our day, to "Come away with Him"!

What if everything we're needing -- the decisions we need to make, like, what job should we take; what school our kids should go to; what diet or fitness routine we should be on; what part of town we should live in, etc. All of these answers, and more, are found and answered by our Shepherd -- He Who knows everything about everything. After all, if...."The Lord is my Shepherd, He promised, I would never want......", then maybe we need to "tune-in" to our Shepherd, and "tune-out" what's NOT!