Recognizing That Voice

In one of today's devotionals we read about how Ewes have a distinctive sound they make so that their babies know them.  The little ones know the sound of their mom's voice and are drawn to it.  Those same babies each have a distinctive bleat that only their mothers recognize.  It never ceases to amaze me how creative our God is and how much he shows up in the details of everything he has given life to, including sheep.

So of course this information got me thinking about how we recognize the voices of those we know and love easily too.  Although Joel said that during my younger years he could not really tell my voice apart from my sister Jan's at times.  Jan's husband Lanny says we still sound so much a like.  A cute story speaks of that.  When we lived in the Philippines my sister Jan and I would send cassette tape messages back and forth.  One day Jan was lonesome for me so she stuck in a tape and started playing it.....she was crying when she heard my voice until she heard "me" talk about Billy.....her oldest son.  She then realized she was listening to herself!  This still makes me smile..........

Like I was saying, we know we can recognize the voices of those we love and that is because each of us have a distinct voice and over time we tune in easily to those voices.   I believe that we can also recognize our Father's voice once we have heard it often enough.  He speaks to each of us and often in different ways.  Oh, certainly Satan likes to try to imitate God's voice and sometimes our own voice gets in the way of what we are "hearing", but most of the time we know when God is speaking.  We recognize His voice and the ways He uses for us as individuals.  For me, I often hear from Him through visual pictures or "videos" I see in my mind's eye.  Joel hears a voice in his mind.  I also know when I get the same scripture three times or more I better pay attention to what God is saying.  And Joel says God speaks strongly to him through nature.  I am sure you all have your own ways you hear from God and it helps you to recognize His voice.

Sometimes He shows up in other people to let you know He is there....that you are not alone.  I think of my sister Jo who when she was too weak to sing out loud, would sing hymns in her head to comfort herself. She told a visiting chaplain that and he offered to sing to her.  With a beautiful voice he sang hymns to her.  Janelle videoed the singing and sent it siblings......a true gift from God that comforted all of us, too.   God showing up in His people.  That is a way He speaks too!  

This is not a new topic for me to mull over.  I just feel it is so important to hear His voice.  God is all around us, in us, over us.  He speaks through the words of others, the actions of others, visions, whispers in our heads, our own gut reactions, nature, Scripture, and much much more.  He is waiting for us to "Be still and know that I am God".  Waiting for us to tune in to that radio station that gives us the clear ability to hear from Him. And when we listen for His voice over and over in our daily walk, we will be able to recognize that voice.