Lord, Speak

 “Run here!”

“Throw the ball to first!” 

“Run to third!”

 “Go home!”

Parents were cheering, clapping, and shouting too. The game was organized confusion and mayhem. 

I wondered, How do these boys know what to do with everyone screaming directions? They must be trained to focus only on their coach’s voice.

We, too, have many voices shouting at us. We need to train our ears to identify God’s whispers. John 10:4 tells us, “The sheep follow Him because they know His voice.”

 Discerning truth is difficult when we’re bombarded with lies. For example, the devil uses social media, secular magazines, and television to suggest we must look a certain way or be a specific size. He also uses these same resources to imply we’re not smart enough, gifted enough, or good enough. Television suggests that adultery and scandals bring satisfaction and self- fulfillment. The lifestyles of Hollywood celebrities and other famous people, can make us dissatisfied with our lives. The media portrays selfishness as admirable and filthy conversations as the norm. Sin is exalted. If we don’t accept that viewpoint, we may feel something is wrong with us.

 It is imperative that we combat these lies with God’s truth. John 16:7–8 tells us that God sent a helper — an advocate and counselor known as the Holy Spirit — to help us discern truth. The truth is found in the Bible; the primary tool the Holy Spirit uses to guide us toward truth. Billy Graham once said, “One can approach the Bible with a cold, rationalistic attitude, or one can do so with reverence and the desire to hear God speak.” Let’s turn off the noise of our culture and turn on time with God. Just as Will and his teammates had to identify their coach’s voice, we must identify our coach’s voice.

Whose voice have you been listening to?

Adapted from “Shining Through the Psalms,” by Deborah Presnell, 2018. Available on Amazon.