Sunday Devotion

Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. It’s time to take a deep breath, relax your shoulders and take another deep breath. Our lives can be so busy and full of distractions. Let’s tune out the noise of the world and tune in to the promises of God.

The scripture Isaiah 6:8 says, “Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?’ I said, ‘Here I am. Send me.’” (NLT)  Do you hear God’s voice calling you?

If someone is trying to talk to you and you are far away, the voice may be hard to hear. It may be too soft and the words may not be distinct enough. But if you move closer, the words are louder and clearer. That is how it is with God. God is talking to us, but we are too far away so we do not hear His voice. When we focus on God and work on our relationship, we move closer to Him. The closer we are to God, the better we can hear the voice of our Heavenly Parent.

God is always speaking to us, through creation, through scripture, through the Holy Spirit.  Hearing God’s voice requires that God is speaking, but also, and this is the one most challenging, that we are listening.

Sometimes God is calling us to new paths and sometimes God is confirming the path we are on is where we should be. When I am tired and thinking of giving up, I might not be listening for God’s voice. But God finds a way to communicate despite my lack of focus. Researching and creating lesson plans for my ESL classes can leave me drained and wondering if this is where I should be. But then the dynamics within the class feel like the magic of fireworks and I see the relationships glow brightly and fan out in all directions. Students are happy and excited, helping one another, joining in on the humor of a situation, commiserating with each other, and offering advice and encouragement. Overcoming their language barriers and the restrictions of being online, the students are building relationships with each other and creating building blocks of peace that cross all manmade borders. That is confirmation that I am following where God is calling me.

Do you hear God’s voice? Perhaps you need to move closer to Him. What can you do to close the distance? Set a small goal to acknowledge God’s presence daily. Speak to God, even if it is just to say hello. Open your mind and your heart to God. Grow your relationship intentionally. You will hear God’s voice talking to you, encouraging you, guiding you, and affirming you as worthy and loved. God is calling each and every one of us to something every day.

Dear God, the one who is ever watchful over all of us, thank you for calling out to us each day. Help us to open our eyes and our ears and to move closer to you so that we may hear your voice. May we listen and respond, “Here I am, Lord. What is it that you would have me do today?”  Amen.
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Author: Bonnie Barber