Hearing His Voice #106

The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush.

Exodus 3:2

There are times in Scripture when God speaks so clearly and unmistakably that the hearer has no questions about His will. Those times are rare and generally reserved for major events in salvation history and for people with critical prophetic roles. But in discerning the varying degrees of intensity of God’s voice in Scripture—He subtly whispers at some times and announces emphatically at others—we notice an interesting dynamic: The more clearly He speaks, the greater the demand for obedience.

Moses had few options. He tried to dissuade God from His plan, but God left him with no alternatives. There was no mistaking the words, no confusion about the instructions, no wiggle room at all. If Moses had decided not to go back into Egypt, he would not be able to claim that he misunderstood or that the voice wasn’t clear. He would have had to willfully rebel.

Many of us say we long to hear God more clearly, but do we really? The clearer the revelation, the greater the expectations that come along with it. We can’t hope for a clear direction from God and then consider whether we will follow it. When He speaks emphatically and unmistakably, it’s usually because He is putting us in situations in which the temptation to flee will be great. There’s a reason Moses saw a burning bush and heard God’s voice audibly; his calling was dreadfully dangerous and intimidating. There’s a reason Mary was visited by an angel; carrying a child out of wedlock was treacherous business. If we want this degree of hearing, we are also asking for this degree of responsibility. And it isn’t as delightful as we might think.

Yearn for God’s voice, but make no mistake about what the yearning will lead to: greater hearing and, therefore, much greater responsibility. An exceptional encounter with God demands stepping into an exceptional destiny.

Lord, I know the costs of hearing You are high, but I still want to encounter You. I am willing to face the responsibility of knowing Your will.