2007-10-16 - Who's On The Other End?

Do you ever get a phone call where the person on the other end is talking as if they're your best friend but you just cannot figure out who it is? I know I have times like that when someone calls me and it takes a few minutes before I recognize the caller on the other end. Honestly, there are times when I can't figure it out at all and just have to ask them who it is.

But when my wife calls, I recognize her voice. I've learned her pitch. I know her sweet Southern accent. I know her voice. I recognize it instantly without any thought at all. Why? Because I have spent many hours talking to her over the past thirteen years of my life. I hardly get time to talk to many of my dearest friends but I still know the sound of their voice. When I read an e-mail from one of them, it's like I hear their voice reading it inside my head.

I should know one voice better than all other voices - the voice of Jesus. Sadly, sometimes it can take me awhile to recognize his voice. Sometimes it's a problem with the amount of noise on the line; I have so many things going on in my life that all the commotion and racket they cause drowns him out. At other times, I just do not recognize his voice at all. What about you? How long does it take you to recognize God's voice when he calls?

For all of us our goal should be to recognize his voice instantaneously. Jesus spoke of us as sheep. From what I have heard, sheep don't know much. But this one thing they do know - they know their master's voice. (See John 10:3-5) That is the one thing I want to know above all else. I want to be able to single out my Master's voice and tune out all others.

The best way to recognize his voice is the same way I learned my wife's voice. You and I must simply spend hours and hours talking with, and mostly listening to, him. Talk to him in prayer but then sit in silence and wait for him to talk back. He's waiting for the chance to speak to you today. Will you let him?

IHFHBOH
Adam

adam@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

All verses are from KJV except where otherwise noted