Hearing His Voice #110

At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.”

Matthew 11:25, NKJV

Charles Spurgeon pointed out that in the original language, this verse specifies that Jesus “answered,” yet the context doesn’t indicate that anyone had spoken to Him. And His answer is addressed to God the Father. Had He just heard from the Father in His Spirit? It would seem so, and it would further imply that Jesus had a continuous conversation with God while the rest of life was going on around Him. If we are to be like Jesus, as Scripture clearly says we should, this has profound implications.

We certainly understand this conversation as it pours forth from our end. When Paul tells his readers to “never stop praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), we can instantly relate. Our hearts are frequently conversing with God while we drive, wait in line, have a moment to rest, lie down to go to sleep, and at many other odd moments throughout the day. But hearing from God unceasingly? Well, that’s another matter. Few of us are confident that we are picking up on His voice that consistently, and most of us have known someone who is much too convinced that he or she is hearing from God reliably. We don’t want to be presumptuous.

Yet our great example, the Lord Himself—the one who calls us to be conformed to His image and of whom we are told, “As He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17, NKJV)—heard from God reliably, and apparently in the midst of life and circumstances and conversations with other people. This is our goal: to cut through the clutter of our outward environment and our inward thoughts in order to fix our focus on God’s voice. Our prayers should lead us to that depth of fellowship.

Father, I want to hear Your voice in the midst of life’s circumstances—just like Jesus did. Bring me to that place of listening. Give me the sensitivity to hear and the boldness to believe.