LifeWords20/10/2010



THE VOICE OF GOD



Read John 10:1-6

1 "I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't know his voice." 6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn't understand what he meant.

People who claim to hear voices are people we refer to psychiatrists. Yet the Bible seems full of instances of people hearing the voice of God. We might argue these are mainly from the era prior to written Scripture. Though that begs the question as to why God might now only limit his 'speaking' to the written word. Also, texts such as the above suggest those who follow Jesus are still to heed his 'voice'.

God is doubtless a communicative God, and doubtless his written word is his chief way of communicating with us. It does, after all, contain all we need for salvation and godly living. Yet even this doesn't exclude him addressing us in other ways. Perhaps not in audible voices, but he can guide us through what we might call 'hunches'. Not to say all our hunches are from God or this is a primary means of guidance. The Word of God is always primary and nothing is to be done contrary to it.

But don't be frightened of following a hunch. It just might be an inner prompting of God, urging us to take some action. Even if it seems foolish, it might be wise to pursue it. Make that phone call, visit that person, send that email, talk to that individual. At worst, you might feel a bit foolish. At best you might be an instrument of God.

BlessingsDavid



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