The Divine Voice

Bible Reading: 1 Kings 13:1-24

His Master's Voice (HMV) was the name of a major British record label created in 1901 by The Gramophone Co. Ltd. The phrase was coined in the late 1890s from the title of a painting by English artist Francis Barraud, which depicted a dog named Nipper, tilting his head and listening to a wind-up disc gramophone!  It conveyed the meaning that those vinyl records reproduced sound so perfectly that the dog could identify his Master's recorded voice!  While God is ready to guide and direct our steps, we have to be able to recognize God's voice.  To hear the divine voice, you must have a relationship with the Lord!

The World and the distractions have a loud voice, and they are ready to side-track us.  The devil is always trying to get our attention.  We can be easily misled unless we know and recognize God's divine voice.   Today's Bible reading, we read the story of the Man of God from Judah.  A man of God went from Judah to Bethel, directed by God.  Jeroboam was a wicked king, and the Man of God was given words for Jeroboam.  God also instructed that he should not eat or drink anything in that country and must return to Judah through another route.  So the Man of God refused hospitality from Jeroboam and did not return by the way he came to Bethel in obedience to the Word he had received when he was in Judah itself.  But an old Prophet from Bethel went after this Man of God and lied to him, saying, "I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water." The Man of God disobeyed the Lord's command and returned with that Prophet because he thought this Prophet from Bethel was God's voice.  And he was killed by a lion!  To hear the divine voice, first of all, we must know our Master's voice.  Second of all, we have to sit and listen to the Lord.  Only then can we benefit from divine guidance.  Mary sat at Jesus' feet, but Martha was distracted by many things, so Martha did not benefit from what Jesus taught them that day!  

My friend, the World has Many voices.  Our Colleagues and friends have many views.  Peer pressure is very high.  The World system has a different standard.  We will be deceived unless we spend time with the Lord and His Word.  

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, help me to sit still in Your Presence so that I can hear Your voice of guidance in my Heart.  Amen.

---