The Power of the Senses: Hearing from God

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“After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.” (John 10:4 NLT)

Exploring the sense of hearing this week, and my focus is on this concept of the sheep knowing their shepherd’s voice. In John 20 we read about Mary Magdalene’s encounter with Jesus at the empty tomb. She arrived and to her dismay discovered He was gone, and her grief shifted her state of mind into fear that Jesus’ body had perhaps been taken, stolen. She was desperate to find Him, to care for his body, this Savior who had changed her life in so many ways. I imagine for a moment how lonely this moment must have been for her, because she had not yet identified fully that Jesus although He was no longer present in human form was most certainly with her in Spirit. As He appeared to her, we read on and delight in experiencing with her the joy of hearing Him call her by name, and she instantly recognizes Him! Her ears did not deceive her, even though her eyes did. His voice, a whisper that could not be confused with any other on this earth. What an immensely comforting moment!

I am immediately encouraged by this and powerfully reminded of the necessity for time alone with my God. All too often, our lives get incredibly busy and our calendars are bursting with so much to do day to day, week to week, that we miss those precious and tender moments of solitude with Him. We cannot hear from Him, if we have not taken time to stop and listen for Him to speak. When we become too busy to take time to read His Word, talk with Him, meditate upon His goodness daily-this is when the voice of our God gets drowned out by so many other things in our lives. When we deliberately carve out time, stop and savor the moments with Him, release everything else that would threaten to distract our focus: that’s when we hear Him. As we strive to know our Savior more day by day, His voice becomes a comforting constant. His sheep know His voice, and He will guide us on.

What is it that threatens to distract you today from hearing the voice of God? What are you seeing in your life as opportunity to release and fully focus on Him? He is here, ready and waiting for you to lean in and listen. Join me in this beautiful action of surrendering time, more of it, to hearing from God. He is here, He is faithful, and He loves us so!

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