Know His Voice

Keeping Watch

When I first moved to Dallas and started driving 45 minutes each day to work, I would call Paul before I left work each day. Since we got the pups, I can't do that anymore. We started noticing that somehow they would know that it was me calling and would get all worked up and excited, waiting anxiously by the door hoping I would be home soon. We thought through lots of theories as to how they knew it was me calling versus someone else. Then we learned something very interesting about schnauzers- they are known for having exceptional hearing. Knowing this about them, it dawned on us: They can hear my voice through the phone with their super sonic hearing, and recognize it!

I talk to the dogs every day. I give them commands, give them affection, call their names, give them praise. They also hear me talk to Paul all the time at the house. They are very well acquainted with the sound of my voice. They also are very attached to me and wait expectantly each day for me to return from work. They know that each day I will call Paul and shortly after I will return home. Though its a very faint sound, they know it's coming and want to hear it, so they are listening for it each time Paul's phone rings.

Similarly, God speaks to us each day also, but not usually audibly. He speaks most often through His Word and through prayer to our hearts. This sort of listening is different than any other type we experience. It takes a lot of practice to develop the muscle of listening for God's voice. It's so important that we know God's voice well because there are a lot of other voices speaking lies to us every day, trying to distract us from God's voice. The voices of the enemy, our own sinful desires, the world's values and practices, bad advice from others- all of these voices are trying to distract us from hearing and believing the voice of God, the voice of Truth. If we know God's word well, when we hear a lie creep up in our hearts, we can easily say, "That doesn't sound like something God would say." If someone said to me, "Paul said that you are a terrible cook", I would easily be able to say, "That can't be true- he compliments me on my cooking every day and usually wants seconds. Also, he never speaks negatively about me to others, so surely this isn't true." In the same way, if I had a thought in my head of, "God doesn't care about you. If He did, He wouldn't let you suffer like this", I can say, "That can't be true- He does care about me because Jesus died in my place. Also, just because He is allowing me to be in pain doesn't mean He doesn't love me. Lots of times, those we love have to allow us to suffer so we can grow. God has been doing this in people's lives since the beginning of humanity."

My prayer is that I would long to hear the voice of God every day like my pups long to hear my voice on the other side of Paul's cell phone each day. I pray that as I read His Word, speak to Him daily, that His words, His character, and His truth would be burned into my mind so that when a lie creeps up, I won't allow it to linger in my mind and heart for even a moment.