Knowing His Voice

I remember a time when I was very young.  My family was sitting down watching TV together after dinner, and it was already dark outside.  Suddenly, we heard a noise coming from the door that led out to the garage.  Someone was trying to open the door from the outside.  My dad jumped up and banged on the door to let whoever it was know that we were there.  Then he yelled loudly, “Who’s out there?!”  The door knob was no longer jiggling, and it was very quiet.  I believe my mom, my sister, and I were hunkered down on the couch scared to even move.  Then after a few seconds, we heard a very frightened voice coming from the garage - “It’s me, Dad…”  Somehow, my brother had slipped out into the garage without anyone knowing and had gotten locked out (he was actually quite good at sneaking around).  When we heard and recognized his voice, we were all able to relax and open the door to let him back inside.  Well, I don’t think my brother was too relaxed.  I think he may have required a change of pants at that point.

Here’s a familiar story found in Matthew 14:22-33 (NIV):

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Imagine you are on the boat with the disciples.  It’s still dark outside, and you see a figure walking on the water toward your boat.  Verse 26 says they were all terrified and began to cry out in fear.  They all thought it was a ghost! 

Jesus knew they were frightened (probably because He could hear them screaming like girls), and so He reassured them the way a mother or father would reassure their child if the lights went out in a storm.  He used his voice.  They couldn’t quite make out who He was because there wasn’t enough light, but His voice they recognized.  They listened to Him intently all the time, so when they heard Him - there was no doubt.  It brought peace and reassurance. 

And then we read the story that we are all familiar with where Peter walks out on the water.  He never would have gotten out of the boat had he not recognized the trusting voice that he listened to many times before.  Not only did he recognize the voice, but he also recognized the same phrase he heard that caused him to get out of a boat once before, lay everything down, and follow Him - “Come.”

Get familiar with God’s voice.  Spend time in His Word.  Ask Him to speak to you about whatever it is that you need today.  And when He speaks, it will be familiar. He won’t speak contrary to His Word that He’s already given us.  The more you obey, the easier it will be to hear His voice.