The Voice
Tonight we hopped in Rick’s car to go pick up mine, which had been sitting in the Panera Bakery parking lot for about 24 hours…to my surprise, with the overhead light on. He zoomed out of the lot just as I tried turning my key to this gawdawful clicking sound. With no time to spare – none to even check my purse for my cell – I jumped out, spotted his car still within reach, ran down the hillside (of muddy grass) with my heels on might I add, and HAD to get his attention. FAST. But how? I started waving my arms about like a crazy woman in the middle of opposing traffic lanes & approaching the middle of a busy intersection. When I was still 50 ft. away & gaining on him as he sat at the red light to turn left, I was determined to not let him get away. I started yelling.
“Riiiiick!”
“Riiiiiiiiick!”
And in a blessed moment of relief, I watched his light turn green & his car U-turn back toward me. He pushed mine into a spot where he could help Braylon maneuver some jumper cables onto it, and before you could say “Psychotic Yelling Woman with a Dead Battery”, I turned that key again & heard the vroooomy growl I was yearnin’ for. Later, I asked Rick if it was my hysterical run-dance that got his attention, or if it was my voice, and to my surprise, he replied, “it was your voice”. He knew my voice.
I was just thinkin’, as I was reading to Braylon & Angel (from John 14) about how God has been speaking to me lately. And how great it feels to be able to communicate with my Heavenly Father…about anything. Any time. How special I feel in those moments that I actually hear his Spirit gently turn me away from harmful situations, reactions or thought patterns.
Maybe I can hear Him better because I’ve been on a fast. Maybe not. Maybe it’s because I’ve been worshiping more. But maybe not.
Ya know, maybe it’s because I’m a forgetful, needy, silly little sheep.
But hey, at least The Lord is my Shepherd. And I have all I need. I’m listening. The noise of this world is not going to have my attention. It will not drown Him out like it has before. I will take him at His word: His sheep follow him because they know his voice.
God, help me to stay conscious of your Spirit in me, day in and day out. To follow you without distractions. To listen & obey your majestic whispers immediately. No delay. Help me to follow your voice so that my children can follow mine with confidence and joy.
John 10:3-5 (NIV)
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
Psalm 28:8-9 (NLT)
8 The LORD gives his people strength.
He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.
9 Save your people!
Bless Israel, your special possession.[a]
Lead them like a shepherd,
and carry them in your arms forever.
