Hearing His Voice #15

Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4, NIV

The New Testament uses two words for “word”—logos and rhema. Some Greek authors use the two as practical equivalents; others treat them as subtly but significantly distinct. Where there’s a difference, logos refers to the Word of God, or to Jesus as “the Word,” while rhema seems to imply more immediacy—a spoken word for a particular moment. In Matthew 4:4 when Jesus talks about our feeding on every word from God’s mouth, rhema is used. In other words, listening to God’s voice moment by moment is necessary for our spiritual lives and growth. If we don’t hear Him, we don’t thrive.

Whether or not there’s a huge difference between logos and rhema, most of us have experienced a difference between the written Word of God and verses or passages from that Word that struck our hearts in a powerful, immediate way. All of God’s words are true, obviously—He cannot speak lies or deception—but some are true for a given moment, particularly suited for a present need. For example, is it biblical to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord or to move forward boldly in faith? The answer is yes, absolutely, on both counts. But which one for which moment? Those listening for God’s voice will hear Him highlighting one or the other of those directions at a critical time, and they will know which one to do. Those who rely on only the written Word as an instruction manual, uniform in its seasons of application, will be left confused by two equally biblical options.

Get to know God’s Word thoroughly, but listen at all times for His specific word for your specific situation. Notice when words jump off the pages of your Bible or when God seems to highlight the same truth in several ways during a particular season. Your life is sustained by feeding on every word that comes from His mouth. Learn to recognize them.

Lord, I hunger for and feed on Your truth. Let my spirit jump when I hear Your voice.