This devotional is part of a five day reflection on calling within the church.
Many of us need some noise. Consider using this curated playlist of meditative songs as background.
Pause
Take a few moments to breathe. Set down your phone, remove distractions. Allow yourself to become present in this moment with the Spirit of God.
Spirit, give me a heart to hear you. Give me a passion to know your voice above all others. Spirit, I come needing a bigger picture of your work, I come needing to trust in more of who you are.
Reflect
Today’s reading is Psalm 29 and 95:1-7. In these songs to God, we are reminded of his voice. The power of his words globally and personally. We begin with Psalm 95 as it calls us to see the salvation of God. Take some time to rejoice in the presence of Jesus and sing a salvation song:
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
Today, if only you would hear his voice…
With a big view of God, and his work from the heights to the depths, the Psalmist ends with the words to the people of God: “if only you would hear his voice.”
It is so challenging to hear the voice of God above all other idols, distractions, concerns, and social media. Do we listen for it? In this Psalm it is clear, God is great and his world is in his hands. We are tempted to see the issues of our lives as too big and God too small.“Today, if only we would hear his voice…”
Psalm 29:3-4 gives us further awareness for his voice.
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
Ask
Spend time asking God to speak with power and majesty. Ask for a life that listens to his voice.
Father, I need your voice in my life. I need your voice to remind me of your grace, love, and power. I cannot imagine the mysteries you would reveal, the directions you would give me, or the nourishment that would satisfy my soul. I long for your voice, speak to me.
We love many people around us. They are our roommates, spouses, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and children. Spend time praying for them to hear the voice of the Spirit and for them to listen to it.
Yield
As we return to the passage once more, let’s see the foreshadowing of the Spirit’s voice in the Church.
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
What does the Spirit say? The Spirit reminds us who we are, comforts our souls, empowers us for our calling, and leads us into the path of transformation, from one degree to another, into the image of Jesus. No other “voice” can do this with us. Take some time to yield to the Spirit’s work. Exchange the voices of the world for the voice of the Spirit.
Spirit, as I enter a time discerning how to serve you, I yield my attention to you. I give you my focus, my energy. You are the king of this world—my world—and I trust you with my life.