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Voice
When lies attack
we have truth and support
with guidance and prayer so the
weakening can be silenced.
Words from His voice will be
written into our hearts and souls and
with an honest foundation given
we chose His strength
when we trust His words first.
Our strong obedience to Him alone.
Psalm 107: 34: "A fruitful land into a salt waste, Because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it?
Invitation
A crowded
marketplace
a
cacophony of voices,
bewildered
hearing native language
bewildered
so turn and see
who
speaks so personally
who
addresses heart’s hunger
to
everyone words of hope
to
everyone an offer of grace
on
a busy day
on
a crowded street
each
language
each
person
still
spoken to with love
still
receives invitation.
Reflection
Questions
1.
How do you hear and recognize the Lord’s voice
in the cacophony of voices that mark our busy marketplace days?
2.
John chapter 10 describes the relationship of a
Shepherd to his sheep. What parts of Jesus’ words speak to you today?
3.
What words are you hungry to hear from the Lord?
Share: When has
a familiar voice called out to you in an unexpected place and given you relief?
Hebrews 11:33, “who through faith conquered kingdoms,
administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions.”
Deborah listened and followed the voice of the Lord. Barak
followed Deborah’s plan, as long as she journeyed with him. Jael followed the
opportunity in her hands. When it was all over, Deborah and Barak sang, “That
the leaders led in Israel, That the people volunteered, Bless the Lord!” Judges
5:2
They conquered a kingdom that had kept Israel severely enslaved
for twenty years.
Each responded according to the abilities and opportunities
they were each given. “If you go, I will go!” Barak told Deborah. She reminded
him he would not then receive the acclaim for the victory. Instead it would go
to her—a woman and in that day’s culture Barak’s reputation would be
diminished.
Yet he was completely unwilling to perform the task apart
from her. I wonder if in reality he was unwilling to move apart from God’s
voice and he knew God had spoken through Deborah. Perhaps his reputation didn’t
matter as much to him as living a faith that followed only God’s words in
obedience. Once she agreed he flung himself wholeheartedly into the
instructions. The obstacles became irrelevant. He kept his eyes on God, as did
Deborah and Jael, and experienced God’s deliverance.
Lord, please keep us from false hesitation and give us
courage to follow with commitment and integrity—wherever You lead.
Psalm of Worship: Psalm 110:3
“Thy people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power;
In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, The youth are to
Thee as the dew.”
Hebrews 11: 32, “And what more should I say? For time would
fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jepthah of David and Samuel and the
prophets—.”
All of these men acted on faith without having any knowledge
of the outcome. They trusted in God’s word alone regardless of the immediate
circumstances. Hearing God’s voice was sufficient.
One of Samuel’s most difficult experiences is related in the
story of Israel’s demands as told in 1 Samuel 8:18-22. The people insisted that
Samuel appoint a king to rule over them. Samuel recognized the error of their
request and refused to cooperate. He did not bow to their demands.
However he did take all their words he had heard and “he repeated them in the ears of the Lord.” Then
when the Lord said to go ahead and fulfill their request Samuel obeyed God. He
was wholly committed to serve God’s word with heart and mind and soul.
Sometimes I wonder if the people thought they had forced
Samuel’s hand and influenced his decision. Which would then increase the
falsehood that they were right to demand control. As their priest, Samuel’s
obedience humanly cost him politically, socially and spiritually. Yet he did
not question God’s word or authority. And his obedience carried into eternity.
How often do we also buy into false choices and decisions
because we forget to bring the words we hear into the Lord’s presence for
affirmation? Or bow to the majority because it is easier? Or cannot hear the Lord’s voice because
we are so full of our own agenda?
Lord, please enable a faith in us to keep us listening to
Your words, Your voice and Your path.
Psalm of Worship: Psalm 40:2
“How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into
falsehood.”
Guidance
Following a new hiking
trail encourages adventure
the surprise of a curved
path opening to glorious
vista, or a concealed hideaway.
Our eyes eagerly seek
for signs whether overlarge
billboards, tiny arrows at
foot level, or worn beaten trails
of previous travelers.
Fresh steps
on proven ground.
Yet then I
hesitate when
guidance
is spoken behind
us,
words giving step by step
directions offering
a different scenic walk.
New fresh ground. Unmarked.
Keep seeing my safe route before me
wonder where the change will go.
Suddenly the path becomes a
challenge to walk holy ground.
Reflection Questions
1. Have you ever followed a path you thought
the Lord directed toward and had it turn out badly? Did you begin to doubt you really
had heard His voice?
2. Does scripture promise that every time we
walk a path we will succeed?
3. What is the difference between obedience
and success in Jesus’ walk?
4. How difficult is it for you to walk only
a few steps at a time?
Share: What gives you the confidence to discern the Lord’s voice
from your own?
Isaiah 30:21, “And when you turn to the right or when you
turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the
way; walk in it.’”
I think I had become so used to scripture that encourages
believers to follow that it took me along time to realize—internalize that this
verse says “behind”.
Sight unseen.
Or at least, not a clear view up ahead. Or even a glimpse
out of the corner of my eye.
Behind—to hear, to act upon tasks given, to obey in faith.
Where the questions begin, “Is this really You, Lord?” “How
can I be sure.” “Could I have some assurance?” “Why?” “Please, may I turn around and look and see and touch
and taste?”
Creation obeys.
Instinctively—instantly—intently.
Because all know your voice clearly. Because Your word is
imbedded into the fabric of all. Like a heartbeat flowing steadily.
Lord, please so saturate me/us in Your words and Your voice
that I/we will resist You from fear or confusion, but instead embrace the gift
of hearing Your guidance.
Psalm of Worship: Psalm 25:9-10
“He leads the humble to justice, and He teaches the humble
His way.
All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth
To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.”
Hebrews 1:1, “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and
various ways by the prophets.”
Various voices echo in our minds when we embrace memories: parents,
teachers, friends, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles or grandparents. We either
choose an occasion to remember and let the memory reel play out vividly as the
sights and sounds flow over us, or a present incident suddenly jettisons us
into instant recall. The smell of Christmas cookies, spring’s first rain,
swimming at the ocean, raking fall leaves. Ordinary days, repeating seasons
catch us up with sudden pause.
Some shoot jagged edges of pain into our hearts. Some bring
a peace blanket of comfort. Together they form the foundation of who we are
today. Why we tend to accept certain concepts and reject others. Why we try to
change our past to preserve a future. Stop addictions or abuse. Shore up love,
forgiveness and compassion.
Vision given through the prophets, the Law, the tabernacle
to God’s people. The Lord spoke His message in various ways to establish our
foundation in Him. An inheritance that is both remembered and anticipated. A
declaration of who we are that ignites our memory of Him. Expands our hearing,
softens our touch, clears our sight, sweetens our taste, and freshens our lives
with fragrance.
Lord, please weave all of our memories into You—into Your
vision.
Psalm of Worship: Psalm 139
“My frame was not hidden in Thee, when I was made in secret,
and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my
unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were
ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”
Scripture: Exodus 33:11b, When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. Joshua hungered too, to know You Lord. To hear Your voice, to fellowship, to grow in knowledge of You. He waited. Joshua would not depart. Relationships take time. Trust needs to grow. Insight develops slowly. The demands of the day clamor for attention, and I hurry through scripture and prayer. Then wonder why my search for You is so broken. Joshua would not depart. Just a little while longer, Lord. Show me how to balance my life so that I can stay in Your tabernacle, learning of You before rushing into my responsibilities. Jesus said His sheep knew His voice. Lord, I desire to be close enough to have my ears rubbed, as one of Your sheep. Joshua would not depart. Reach out Lord and pull me into Your quiet. Rest me in Your peace and raise me in knowledge of You. Lord, I long, like Joshua to not depart from Your tent, until You say go. Psalm of Worship: Psalm 63:1 O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly; My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Scripture: Exodus: 33:11a, Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. There is a part of me, Lord, that yearns with envy at this meeting. To speak to You fully as a friend; to share, to laugh, to cry, to listen. To know Your word, Your counsel, Your wisdom with such detail, that in any given situation, I would know instinctively what You would say. To be a part of Your plans, to be trusted to know Your intentions, Your inner most thoughts. Then a part of me shrinks in awe that Moses could stand before You with such confidence, listening to Your voice, committed to Your requests, in the presence of Your glory. Once You walked in the garden with Adam and Eve, before their disobedience, and spoke with them. They listened for Your voice and experienced the warmth of conversation with You. When they still knew no sin. And when sin entered, they hid from Your voice. There is sin hidden so deep in me I cannot recognize it, so how could I hear You speak to me as a friend? Like a startled rabbit, I would run askew, searching for my own hiding place. “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” Jesus speaks to each of us as a friend, face to face. Inviting us into His plans, inviting us into dialogue. O Lord, please give me the courage to come to You and listen to Your voice. Psalm of Worship: Psalm 9:10 And those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee; For Thou, O Lord, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee.
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