Wednesday, August 18: Do you know His voice?

When someone calls my dog Whitney, she listens pretty well, for a puppy in training. But if I am there, she always looks to me before responding. Additionally, when Whitney is misbehaving, if she hears me say, “No,” she responds immediately, while that quick response never occurs when it is a stranger’s voice. Dogs have an acute sense of smell, but their sense of hearing is also phenomenal. Even when I whisper, my dog knows my voice, and she should, for we spend so much time together. She goes to work with me, rides shotgun in the truck, sleeps in my bed, and other than the night after she was spayed, has been with me every day since I brought her home when she was 8-weeks-old.


That is a great analogy to our relationship with the Lord. Depending on the amount of time we spend with Him, we should know His voice. Quality time with Him is through Bible study, prayer and fellowship. It could include time spent in church or time spent completely alone.


1 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 "But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 "Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
John 10:1-6


The Holy Spirit is the doorkeeper and Jesus is the door. Do you know His voice? That is one of the most important questions that each of us has to answer. We don’t become a sheep by believing; we believe by becoming a sheep. Are you confused yet? If you believe in Jesus Christ, it is because He chose you as a sheep from the foundations of the earth. He called Lazarus by name, Zaccheus by name, Mary Magdalene by name at the tomb… and we all will hear Him call us by name, too, if we are true believers!

The voice of our Lord could crumble rocks into tiny bits, but is the voice of a peaceful river, restoring our souls. Though His voice could send every enemy sprawling, it is the voice of sweet forgiveness when we repent of our sin and turn toward Him. His voice can be still and small, but we can hear that whisper loudly, deep in our souls, as if He is speaking with the world’s largest megaphone. Lazarus was dead and still could hear the voice of his Lord:


43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
John 11:42-44


If you desire to hear His voice, you will hear His voice, for the Lord has promised that anyone who seeks Him, will find Him. But without the desire to hear His voice above all others, there is no point in listening. Voices of the world will conflict God’s voice of reason, and the world’s voice will focus on your pride, accomplishments, financial goals, etc. God’s voice will focus on following His Word, edifying others with His love, and drawing nearer to Him. He who has an ear should hear what the Spirit is saying!


And you said: ‘Surely the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives.
Deuteronomy 5:24