#JESUS2019 - Daily DevotionalsSample

“Hearing God’s voice. That sounds so easy. But how is that supposed to work?” These are the questions my brother asked me after somebody encouraged him in a sermon to just listen to God.

And my answer? “If you ask God if it is good for you to be with this girl, are you ready to hear a no?” Well, this realization did not come from me. It was once given to me in a similar situation. Ultimately, what is behind this question is whether I trust that God means well with me.

Remaining in the imagery of this story: If a sheep does not believe that the shepherd means well with him, then it will certainly not follow him through a gate. It will rely on its own instincts and go on the road alone.

Search the web for “Shrek, The Sheep Who Escaped”. There you will find the story of a sheep that escaped from his shepherd six years in a row so as not to be shorn. What happened with this sheep: when it rains, it has to carry several times its own weight. When it gets tangled up in a thorn bush, it gets stuck. When a parasite nests in it, it spreads itself, eats through the wool and eventually the body.

The first question about hearing God’s voice for me is: “Are you ready to hear what he has to say?” 

And this implies the eternal question: “Do you trust that God means it well with you?”

ACTION STEP: 

God’s voice is not always a loud bang from heaven that scares away the birds. It is often much quieter than you think. And it takes practice to understand this voice. So, think about at which frequencies God might speak to you today. Scan your spiritual ears to see how God most likely will get in contact with you.

Andreas Hörner – ICF Grünheide