The Father's voice...

​         God’s love is something that can be so difficult for us to understand, grasp or even accept. We know He loves us but it may not quite register in our spirit just how much.
         I looked at a video some days ago sent to me on WhatsApp. Maybe many of you have seen it. The man in the video is a Christian comedian I had seen on television some months or so ago on Christian t.v. He was sharing an experience with his young daughter when she was just a few minutes old.
         When he took the video, he did not realize the impact of it until he watched it sometime later. As I said, his daughter was just a few minutes old, and she was crying at the top of her lungs. He immediately began speaking to her in a soothing voice, calling her by name and telling her that he was right there. At the sound of his voice, she stopped crying. 
         What is amazing to me is that there were other people around I am sure, but she responded to her father’s voice, like she knew it even though she had just been born. The Bible tells us in John 10:3-4b that, “...the sheep hear his voice and he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out ...and the sheep follow him for they know his voice.” We know our Heavenly Father’s voice. We may not realize it but we do and He speaks to us in so many different ways. Some may hear an audible voice. For others He speaks through a song that ministers comfort, yet, for others He speaks through a sermon or a book or a dream. God speaks to us in so many ways.
         After the baby had been cleaned up, she began to cry at the top of her lungs again and once again her father came to her speaking soothing words of comfort and assurance. He called her by name again and reminded her that he was right there. Isaiah 43:2 says, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” It isn’t that we will not go through trials and stress. The comfort comes in the assurance that God is right there with us while we are going through. He may not choose to stop the trouble from coming our way but He will be right there with us in the storm, in the distress, in the heartache, in the pain. And while there, He will provide and even be the strength we need to make it through, to survive and even thrive in the midst of it all.
         Our success story isn’t really about Him taking away the problem but allowing us to go through so that we can learn and receive all the good that He has for us. When He is ready He will bring that trial to an end but in the meantime, while we wait, He is pruning us, moulding us, shaping us into the person He wants us to be. 
         The father in our story ends his words of comfort by saying to his daughter, “I love you.” As soon as she hears these words that tiny baby, just a few minutes old, does an amazing thing ... she opens her eyes! She is comforted by the fact that daddy loves her!
         Like that baby so many times we are crying and stressing and fussing as we go through our challenges. We feel afraid, even terrified because we don’t know how our story will end. But our Daddy is right there loving us, comforting us and keeping us safe even though we may not feel safe. 
          Now notice, she cried, he spoke and she stopped. She cried again, he spoke again and she stopped. I think all of us can testify to the fact that life is about challenges that just seem to keep coming. Sometimes we go through seasons when problems are coming at us from different directions at the same time. In those times it can be so easy to feel fearful, discouraged and frustrated. We may even wonder if God is even there. Yet, it is good to know that God does not get tired of comforting us, He does not get tired of coming to our rescue. After all, that’s what He is there for. He is our present help in the time of trouble (Psalm 46:1).
         I don’t know what you may be going through, but I know God wants you to know a few things: one, He is right there because He has promised never to leave you or forsake you and two, He loves you. In the midst of your trial - God. Loves. You. He will get you safely through this. You will not perish in the midst of it. You are going to make it. God is the One who will get you through this and He is the One with the power and ability to do something beautiful in and through you in the midst of it. God never breaks His promises!
         If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so now. Simply ask Him to come into your life, to forgive you of your sins and make you into a brand-new person. You can’t escape problems and trials but with God on your side you can conquer anything!

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