Only myself and another man sat in the waiting room at the orthodontist’s office. I watched for the dental clinician to appear, call my name, and take me through for my appointment. Instead, the office robot silently glided to the entrance of the waiting room and stopped. It said something in its electronic voice, which I couldn’t quite understand. As I stared at it, the man across the other side of the waiting room said, “I think it is calling your name.” Confused and unsure whether he was right, it wasn’t until I walked up to the robot I could see my name written on its screen. Then I obediently followed it into the office; the clinician was waiting for me with an amused expression.
One thing is clear in the verse below, Abraham knew God’s voice.
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied (Genesis 21:1).
When God spoke Abraham’s name, Abraham responded.
At this point in Genesis 21, Abraham had been on a journey with God, both physical and spiritual—a journey that had taken him from his home and country to a new location.
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you (Genesis 12:1).
And a journey that had taken him to have faith in God.
And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith (Genesis 15:6 NLT).
I love how Abraham not only knew that God was speaking to him but also readily responded with words of willingness and openness to whatever God had in store for him.
“Here I am.”
Jesus said something similar about people who follow him: “My sheep know my voice.”
No sheep dogs, or robots, direct sheep in the Near East. Instead, shepherds lead their flocks by their voices.
When Mary heard Jesus say her name in the garden when he had risen from the dead, she recognized him. She knew the voice of her Lord and she responded
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”) (John 20:16).
We are not far into the New Year to start a new habit—that of beginning each day listening for God’s voice saying our names and responding “Here I am.”
What better way to start each day with one of readiness to listen, to follow God’s instruction, to believe in his promises, and to trust him fully with what is ahead?
Use this prayer to help you and leave a comment below:
Leave a comment and I will choose one person to win a copy of Looking Up: Finding Joy as You Read and Pray Through the Bible by Janet Holm McHenry).
In the Bible, there are times when God spoke directly to a person. I’ve been looking at and sharing with you the encouragement I’ve discovered in those times when God spoke “out loud.”