Hearing His Voice #246

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Colossians 3:16

Heaven is full of God’s voice. Angels obey the sound of His voice, worship Him, bask in His glory, and proclaim His will. Multitudes declare His goodness around His throne. No one in heaven needs to sort out the voices to determine which is from God and which is not. No one questions what His purposes are. It’s an openly God-saturated environment.

Here in our realm, however, things aren’t as clear. Lies swirl around us, discouragement and fear and unholy agendas seem to dominate the atmosphere, and most people have a hard time telling which end is up. We strive to find truth and meaning, live purposeful lives, and have healthy relationships, but we often find ourselves confused and disillusioned. Yes, we Jesus followers cling to the truth that has been revealed, but we struggle desperately to apply it to the difficult situations in our lives. Our environment is not nearly as heavenly as we want it to be.

The words of Colossians 3:16 can make an enormous difference. Many of us say we want to hear God’s voice, but then we fill our hearts and minds with things that would never fit in a heavenly environment. We want the clarity of heaven, but take deep breaths of the polluted air of the world. We willingly tune in to mixed signals and then complain about not being able to discern God’s voice.

If we want the clarity of heaven in our lives, we need to saturate ourselves with heaven’s atmosphere. Our spirits will be much more sensitive to God’s voice when we’ve surrounded ourselves with the things His voice inspires. Worship-saturated, glory-permeated souls hear God more often and more clearly than those steeped in unholy messages.

Jesus, I know I’m thoroughly in the world, but You never meant for me to be influenced by it. Please, I need tastes of heaven—even full banquets—that will open my soul to Your voice. Help me fill my atmosphere with Your words and songs.