Years before Holy Week, at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus was baptized. As he came out of the water the voice of God came from heaven, stating, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) And as the clock ticked down to Good Friday God again verbally addresses the people.
While Jesus is talking to them, detailing how the Messiah must die so that all can live, he becomes agitated thinking about what is to come.
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose, I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. -John 12:27-30
Some people heard the voice of God and disregarded it. They leaned on their own understanding of the situation and completely missed God. (Proverbs 3:5-6) But others recognized that something of spiritual significance had happened at that moment.
We too can limit ourselves from hearing God’s voice, maybe out of fear that it’s not Him, and maybe out of fear that it is. If it’s not God’s voice, we have been misled, and if it is, He might be calling us to an uncomfortable conviction.
God can and does speak to us. We shouldn’t be ashamed if we’ve missed it. If people then could miss the literal voice of God, how much easier is it for us to miss the still-small voice of the Holy Spirit?
God speaks to us through circumstances- blocked pathways, dreams, music, visions, quiet inspirations, and ah-ha moments. He communicates through the community of believers, prayer, scriptures, sermons, wise counsel, and His very creation. You can hear and recognize Him, if only you ask. (James 1:5)
Dear God, I want to meditate on your voice. I need my heart to be attuned to yours. Help me to discern Your voice from mine, and from the world around me. Open my ears. In Your Holy name Amen.
Emmanuel Reformed Church 