I remember when I began to learn that many, if not most, Christians that I met could not confidently say that they discerned God speaking to them. My own conversion was so very radical, and my subsequent call to ministry was equally defined in clarity to me. In both of these events, I heard God speak to me. To this day I believe that He speaks constantly to His children, but hearing Him seems a very elusive thing to many who believe Him to be their Father. When I think about this, it breaks my heart in compassion for those who believe in His theological Fatherhood, but never sense the experience of His personal, interactive guidance. To reach a final conclusion that God has a potential voice, but not an available, active voice would be so frustrating to me. Yes, friends, God speaks even to this very moment. He is a Communicator, and He has never sought to hide Himself in indifference to His seeking child.
“Today, if you will Hear His voice…” – Psalm 95:7
He speaks truth to you. He’s guiding you into understanding what is true and what is counterfeit. He highlights His own promises through His Word and ordains blessing for your trust in those promises. God speaks warning to you concerning the lies of your generation and He exposes the strategies of Satan so that you will never be among those who fall prey. He titled His own Son “the Word” so that we could not possibly think that we serve a reclusive God, unwilling to speak to those who so desperately need His voice.
He speaks love to you. We, really are ignorant of just how lavish his love for us is. He has, inexplicably, made His children to be objects of the blazing intensity of His divine affection. We must come to that place of confidence that the personal God found in the Bible has a love for each individual believer. I preached Zephaniah 3:17 yesterday at ; that verse is basically the John 3:16 of the Old Testament. It speaks of God’s undeniable delight in His children. The Father tells you in His word that He chose you before the universe ever was. He ordained that His own would spend eternity as undeniable recipients of redeeming love. He loved us when all we could accurately say of ourselves was that we were His enemies. He loved us when our sin predominantly characterized us in the dark dungeon of self-will. He brought us up with a mighty hand and cleansed us to the very core of our souls – all because of love. He has spoken unconditional love to us during our pilgrimage of faith when we have transgressed against Him more times than we could number. He speaks love when we are predisposed to hear only the enemy’s accusation. He speaks love which is co-mingled with incomprehensible delight – God not only loves you, He likes you! When we are prone to hate our sin so greatly that we end up hating ourselves, He will not allow us to proceed any further without reminding us that we are forbidden to hate what He loves. And He loves you.
He speaks hope to you in a world that offers none of its own. Amid global political insanity, sickness and war, economic unpredictability and relational woes, heresy and blasphemy and sinful scandals…God has declared with authority that we must abide in hope. Our hope is affixed to an eternal throne that cannot be tarnished. Its royalty has not faded over the ages, and the security of Heaven knows no ebb and flow. His voice is a torrent of assurance, and He has ordained an impossibly glorious moment when your faith will become sight. Then you will be finally and forever delivered from that which causes you to spiritually squint while on earth. His victory will never be denied even if it seems to us to be too-long delayed. Yes, brothers and sisters, the overcomers must one day overcome! The victors must soon triumph over it all! The end was ordained from the beginning, and we are just a vapor away from its fullness. God says so!
I could prolong my praise today but you have more than enough to ponder. I tell you that He has never ceased to speak. Listen. Listen for Him some more. Call on Him to speak. Wait for Him to do so. Learn His language because He speaks in places and via means you may not be accustomed to. The Holy Spirit has an accent – listen for it. Yes, our great God still speaks; the danger is that we might leave off with the hearing. The psalmist has told us above in Psalm 95:7 that God speaks today, and he adds in verse 8 that we must not harden our hearts, thus failing to hear Him. As a child of the covenant, you hear with your heart. As much as it depends on you, keep that heart clean, fresh and pulsing. Your bible is alive and calling you closer. The Holy Spirit did not go mute 2,000 years ago. You’ve read that bible scores of times, but it has a fresh word for the eager treasure hunter today. Your pastor, mentors and teachers can be in front of you with a word that they themselves have heard from Him. You can listen to the echo of His voice through them, and within that echo will be truth, love and hope. Draw near to Him as He may very well choose to whisper that particular word you’ve needed so long. Children of God, believe with all of your might that He is a communicating God who will never fall silent. God is. God hears. God speaks.
I am confident that He has reserved a word for you today.