Hearing His Voice #205

The LORD did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.

Exodus 13:22

In the Chronicles of Narnia series, the lion Aslan rarely makes his presence known, except at critical moments of need. He closely watches those who are loyal to him, but without their awareness. He is there, behind the scenes, always knowing, but only occasionally revealing himself. Even so, in spite of his hiddenness, he makes sure the children get where they need to go.

It isn’t difficult to recognize in this illustration the nature of God in the ways He guides and protects us. We receive His direction daily, but often when we aren’t even aware of it. God governs our steps, even though we think we’re the ones taking them. His voice is prompting us, even though we think it’s our own thought processes. He is the guardian behind the scenes, letting us travel but rigging the path and the circumstances to steer us in the right direction. Even when we make mistakes or rebel against Him, He has ways of getting us where we need to go. We are hearing Him even when we think we hear nothing. He does not remove His sovereign guidance from our lives.

God is relentlessly committed to your journey, whether you realize it or not. He is not surprised by any turn you take, even the ones that are eating you up with regret. He accounted for them and perhaps even ordained them. As you strain to hear His voice, He is content with the fact that He already put it within you and has been using it to lead you forward. You may not hear the footsteps beside you, but they are always there. Your steps may be uncertain to you, but they are never uncertain to God. He will never remove His cloud and fire from your life.

Lord, I submit my every step to You. I invite You to direct my path with or without my awareness of it. Give me understanding when I need it, and trust when I don’t understand. Lead me into the land of promise You’ve designed for me.