The Voice
"How do I know whether I have heard the voice of God in my heart?" It's a great question. To answer this, consider for a moment our own voices: they are unique; they have character; they can command authority; they have the power to build up and tear down; they fill a vacuum; they develop relationships…… All of these qualities are equally evident in God's voice.
In Psalm 29, it appears that the psalmist, David, was witnessing the power of a passing thunderstorm, and compares the power released with that of the voice of the Lord:
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.
Like a thunderstorm, the voice of the Lord rises above the tumult of "mighty waters". It cannot be opposed, even by the sometimes-deafening sound of the problems and difficulties we may face. His voice is louder than the mighty waters, and spoken by Him with the authority of His majesty. We can hear Him speak to us if we "tune-in" to Him, by "tuning-out" the mighty waters that compete for our attention.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
Cedars of Lebanon were highly prized for their durable, aromatic timber that was good for building great palaces. All that we prize about ourselves in our abilities and talents, the Lord strips away in order for us to acknowledge His power and majesty. "He must increase, I must decrease" (John 3:30). If we allow His voice and rule to increase within us, our submission to Him will result in us becoming like Him, rather than allowing ourselves to become narcissistic in our temperament.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.
Lightning lights up the sky and is incredibly powerful, but the landing point of every lightning flash covers a very small area. Likewise, when the Lord shines His light into our lives, it is with pinpoint accuracy because He knows all about us and our specific needs (see Psalm 139). As we open our hearts to Him, His incredible power will be released to achieve the work He desires to do in us.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
When the Lord ministers His voice, the deserts shake. Maybe we feel we are in a desert or wilderness place right now, but the Lord causes them to be shaken up. His word shakes up our narrow thinking and shallow beliefs by introducing the transformative power of His voice into our lives.
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"
An oak is a very strong tree, but if it is twisted, there is a significant loss of strength. Likewise, if a forest is stripped bare of its leaves, it can have a devastating effect on the future viability of the trees. Perhaps there are many strong forces surrounding you like a forest at this time. The good news is that nothing, however seemingly strong in our eyes, can withstand His voice and power. But it is also important to share with others in the Church of His marvellous deeds that He undertakes on our behalf, because it releases faith in us all. This results in worship ("Glory") to the Lord for His favour and power, and develops and deepens our relationship with Him.
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
The picture in this verse is the aftermath of a storm, when torrential rain can lead to a deluge and flood. To me, this speaks of the out-working of our God being in control, even when the evidence may seem to be to the contrary. There is nothing in this verse about His voice, just the certainty of His calm demeanour in spite of all that is going on around us. Maybe we can identify with this: our voices stilled by the confidence that our God will look after us, for He is enthroned and in control (2 Corin. 1:10; Heb. 6:19, 20).
11 The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.
Have you ever noticed that before a thunderstorm, the atmosphere is oppressive and uncomfortable? The after effect brings a much more refreshing and cooling atmosphere. When the Lord speaks into our lives by His Spirit, the effect brings the refreshment of His peace and blessing.
Let's make room for hearing God's voice today, because His voice brings a new perspective into our personal lives and situations.
