Do you hear what I hear? Not just a song.
- Christine DiGiacomo
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
Does God talk?
If so, are you hearing from him?
Growing up in church, I was not taught that God talks. Actually, I was taught quite the opposite--God had said everything he wanted to say and it was captured in the pages of Scripture. Period. Case closed… canon closed. And by the way, if someone claimed to hear that God talked to them, they were crazy or a heretic. Or a crazy heretic.
I had a niggling that just couldn’t be right. After all, if he talked to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Mary, Joseph, David, Esther, Jacob, Isaiah, Paul . . . then why did God just stop talking? Hmmm.
In Acts 20 and 21, there are two instances of how God spoke to Paul:
"And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don't know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus--the work of telling others the good news about the wonderful grace of God.1
Over the years, I have heard many well-meaning Christian people say, 'the safest place to be is in the center of God's will'. . .really? Are you kidding me? Ask Paul how safe it was. Ask those who are being tortured, imprisoned or killed for their Christian faith today--in countries like Nigeria, North Korea, India...2
Truth: as believers, we will never face hardship or heartache alone, God will always be with us, and he will give us his grace and peace when we face suffering of any kind.
The believers cautioned Paul not to go, but I bear in mind what Paul also had in mind when, at the time of his conversion, Jesus said, "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."3 It was Jesus' voice that Paul heard ringing in his ears, guiding his footsteps. . . it was the voice of Jesus that Paul obeyed. So while the 'church' told him not to go, Paul was guided by his calling from the start; he stayed true to it and obeyed it, no matter the cost.
And then, "Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.4
So, let's see-- From Acts 20, ‘the Holy Spirit tells me’… how, Paul? Most likely in the still, small voice to which Paul had his ear tuned.
And in Acts 21, Agabus delivered a message from God for Paul, uttered in the presence of other believers. Two instances, two different means.
How about you and me today? Does God talk to us? Yes, he does. Though I raise the flag fairly regularly that our Lord speaks to those who have relationship with him, it can't ever be enough to remind us to look and listen for the leading of God in our daily lives.
Did you catch it? ‘Part of our relationship’ - key element in hearing God’s voice: relationship with him. As a matter of course, because we have relationship with him, God speaks to us, his much-loved children.
One of the most incredible things about going to Israel5 is that the Bible comes alive in different ways, unexpected ways. From my trips, I have snapshots of the shepherd and his sheep in several places. [see above picture, taken near Golan Heights] While David the shepherd boy referred to the Lord as his shepherd, Jesus claimed that title, that position.
How I love the words and the imagery in John's gospel, where Jesus says,
"I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me . . .
My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me."6
Do you hear your Good Shepherd's voice leading you?
Most believers do not hear an audible voice, but God speaks:
->through Scripture **#1 place to hear the voice of God is in his Word.
->in a still, small voice - a quiet voice, and a knowing in our innermost being.
God speaks:
->through other believers
->visions - when awake
->dreams - when asleep
God speaks through:
->circumstances - opened or closed doors; 'serendipitous' meetings
So, let’s participate, let's reach out to God right now, from whatever place we find ourselves:
"God, I am not sure what to say, [right here you could say something about where you find yourself with God right now], but God, it does not seem logical that you, my Heavenly Father, would not speak to me, because I am your child! So, I'm asking 'would you speak to me today, Lord?' I will listen and I will watch for you. Amen."
Never heard this song before, but boy, it'll preach!
Because He speaks, I wanna hear what he has to say...
Christine
no. 58, Acts.
And a bonus song: You Say, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW-yeIcmJ8A&list=RDXW-yeIcmJ8A&start_radio=1
1 - Acts 20.22-24
2 - 5 Examples of Christian persecution happening today: https://globalchristianrelief.org/stories/examples-of-persecution-today/
3 - Acts 9.16
4 - Acts 21.10-12
5 - Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the Middle East!
6 - John 10.11-15, the link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010.11-15&version=ESV
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