Knowing His voice...

          A few weeks ago someone shared a testimony on one of the WhatsApp chats that I am on. After she finished sharing I understood why she felt the need to share because it was truly a testimony of God’s faithfulness to His children.
          The young lady in question had to complete an assignment that was past due. When she finally decided to complete it she was feeling a bit tired and decided to get some sleep. Her intention was to sleep for a couple hours, get up and push herself to complete the assignment. However, she overslept, and was so tired that when her alarm went off, in her sleepy state, she simply took it off and went back to sleep. When she awoke it was time for early morning prayer with her husband so she decided to go ahead with that. After that it was time for prayer with another group and although she was tempted to skip that she decided to be a part of that as well. Finally, she had the free time to complete the assignment. However, she felt the Holy Spirit tell her to go back to bed and she decided to obey. While in bed, she started to ask God why she was in bed because she needed to work on this overdue assignment. However, she chose to obey God and finally dosed off. A little while later, she and her husband were awakened by a loud crash. When they went to investigate they discovered that their gypsum ceiling had fallen and crashed onto the table where she was supposed to be doing her assignment. She immediately began to thank God because she realized that had she been sitting there doing that assignment, she may not have even heard the ceiling coming down until it was too late. God had literally saved her life!
         At the start of her testimony, I remember her saying that she had told God that she wanted to not just know His voice when He speaks but to be obedient to it. Well, she certainly got the opportunity and she was so thankful to God that she had chosen to obey His voice.
         I am reminded of a story in the Bible of a man of God who did the opposite of what this young lady did and sadly suffered the consequences. As the Lord directed him, he left Judah and went to Bethel. After doing what God had sent him there to do he left to return home. However, the Lord had told him that he was not to go to anyone’s house to eat bread or drink water while there and he was not to return home using the same route he had used to get there. On two occasions he was invited to someone’s home for a meal. First, king Jeroboam invited him but he refused and gave his reason why. Then, an old prophet invited him and he refused reciting the same reason. When the old prophet told him that he too was a prophet and that the Lord through an angel had told him that he should bring him to his home to eat bread and drink water, the prophet believed him and went with him. While at his home, however, the old prophet told him that because he had disobeyed the word of the Lord he would die and would not be buried in the tomb of his fathers. On his way back home, a lion attacked and killed him and the old prophet buried him in his own tomb (1 Kings 13:1-30). Sadly, although he had heard God's voice, he allowed another voice to cause him to disobey God's word to him.
         God speaks to us in different ways. His Word says that as His sheep, we hear His voice. As I mentioned last week, God speaks to me in a variety of ways. Sometimes, He speaks through a song, or a movie, or a dream, or even a sermon. And sometimes I can clearly discern that still small voice giving me direction or encouragement when I need it. Whenever He tells me “you’re going to be okay” I feel that confidence and assurance that it will be as He has said. This has not happened overnight and my “ears” are still being developed in this area but God does speak and maybe sometimes like my friend who shared her testimony we just have to trust that voice, that stirring in our spirit which is a sign that God is speaking. I think sometimes, it’s not that we don’t hear His voice, because His Word says that we do, but it’s more a question maybe of hearing something we don’t want to hear but that we need to hear. And when other voices threaten to drown out His voice, it can be so easy to listen to what we want to hear instead of what we need to hear. 
         God is very much interested in making us happy and whatever He says to us will always be for our good. So, I encourage you today to not just get to know God’s voice but to obey it because you never know what He could be protecting you from, you never know the greater blessings He has in store for you through your obedience.
         If you have not yet asked Jesus Christ to come into your life I encourage you to do so now. We all need guidance and direction especially in difficult times and He will always lead and guide you the right way, even the best way. 

---