Relationship

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

Have you ever been in a public place, and you hear a child cry out “Mom!”, and you turn to respond. I think even when our children are grown, we still have “mom” ears. My son had a distinct sound in his voice that caused me to immediately respond.

I want to have those kind of ears with the Lord, to hear His voice and immediately respond.

“Your ears will hear a word behind you saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21). To hear the Lord’s voice clearly takes being familiar with His distinct sound. This involves spending time in His presence in prayer and in His Word. We develop a relationship just as we do with our kids or spouse.

I’m reminded of how many times I’ve impulsively done something instead of responding to that still, small voice from the Lord. I may have shot up a quick prayer for direction but didn’t heed the caution spoken to my heart. When left to my own, I’ve gotten in trouble with wrong attitude, words, or actions.

But when I have responded to the Lord’s voice, how sweet the call and how huge the blessing of obeying His instructions and encouragement. Many times it’s a quiet voice in my mind, or I’ll read a passage in the Bible and it jumps off of the page, and then the Lord will confirm it in another passage or through a devotional. This tickles my heart and I’m filled with joy.

I know in order to hear His voice clearly, I need to maintain an honest and clean relationship with Him, allowing the Holy Spirit to search my heart and reveal any obstacle or impurity (sin unconfessed) blocking His sound. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). I want to see God working and I want/need to hear His love, comfort and instruction daily.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). What a glorious invitation! When I begin my day, I can ask Him to come in, dine, and fellowship with me so I can have relationship with Him, the Creator of the universe! The sovereign knower of all things!

The most important relationship we can have is with God. It’s very important we are tuned to our children’s voice, and of course to our spouse’s voice, but the voice that speaks, “This is the way, walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21), we need to hear and follow all of our days so we will know and be encouraged how to respond to all the other voices we hear, both good and bad.

Dear Lord, we invite You in to sup with us and have fellowship. Please help us to be tuned in to Your sound, that we may follow with a pure heart. There is no greater blessing or relationship. Amen.