“Then a voice came from heaven . . . The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’”
— John 12:28b-29 ESV

I have often thought that life would be much easier if God would just part the heavens, answer my questions and tell me what decisions to make.

That would be a great way to remove ambiguity and confusion, right?

Well, in John 12:29, God did speak in an audible voice, and even then people were in disagreement about what they had just heard. Some said it had been a clap of thunder; others an angelic voice.

This story makes it clear that recognizing God’s voice is a skill we must develop.

Here’s a thought: maybe we often fail to hear the voice of God not because he isn’t speaking clearly but because we’re unable to recognize him?

The solution is not a question and answer session with God to resolve all of our concerns but a daily decision to be attentive to the “low whisper” (1 Kings 19:12) with which he is always speaking.

Make some room today to hear the voice of God. In the midst of your busy schedule, become silent for long enough to hear his whisper.

God is speaking. Are you listening?

Here’s a simple prayer to carry with you today:

Breathe in: God,
Breathe out: I’m listening