Guest Column / Richard Etienne

Pondering the power of God’s voice and how we should respond

The human voice is very unique. Voice recognition software has become quite advanced since its inception, and it now takes full advantage of this uniqueness found in every human voice.

Many companies even use this fact to verify a person’s true identity when communicating on important matters over a phone system.

In the prophet Isaiah, we read, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine” (Is 43:1). This is a very intimate image of our God, and it emphasizes the important role that we each have in his plan.

Can you hear God’s voice calling you?

Notice how Jesus referenced the relationship of every individual sheep to its specific shepherd. In the Gospel of John, Christ says, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (Jn 10:27).

Other shepherds can call the sheep, but I have been told that they will only respond to their shepherd’s voice—something that Jesus’ audience would have known in first-century Palestine.

Do you take time regularly to be still long enough to hear your shepherd’s voice? The human voice is just one more example of how wonderfully each one of is made!

God created our mouths to speak and our ears

to hear. He created our minds to comprehend and separate the many messages that bombard us daily. Psalm 139:14 says, “I praise you, so wonderfully you made me.”

Can you recall the physical response in your own body when you heard your father or mother call out your full name: “Elizabeth Ann,” “Stephanie Gale,” “Joseph Francis” … I know in my own house it usually meant that a very important message was about to be conveyed to me—and often not a message that I always wanted to hear at that particular time!

Lastly, I can also relate to the story of Jonah in Scripture. Jonah heard a message that he did not want to hear at first. But eventually he listened to God’s voice and submitted to the plan that God had laid out.

Do you ever hear God calling your name and asking you to consider some action? How do you respond?
 

(Richard Etienne has a degree in theology from Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad and resides in Newburgh, Ind.) †