Have you ever heard the voice of God? ... Have you ever felt the hand of God in your midst? ... I bet there have been times when you have seen things that are amazing and lifts your spirits, maybe causing a tear to appear.  I bet there have been times when something has hit you - maybe it has been a realization of the way your life was being lived or some self discovery and it makes you stop and stand in awe and you are left breathless.  Many of us may not call it the voice of God, but surely, I bet God has been talking to each and everyone of you.  We might try to discount that it is God talking - we might try to turn the volume down - and sometimes as we feel pressures of life, we might try to tune God out.  But God talks to us - we hear God in the scripture - we sense God in the most strangest times.  Even now, God is talking to some of you, pushing you in your hearts to greater commitment - assuring others that as you face destructive feelings, that God loves you and that you will get through.    

Maybe, it is when a old hymn or a new song of faith is sung and there is a deep peace that just embraces you and you know that things will be okay - that God is in your midst.  The gift of peace is God given.  We often speak of being gifted by God - getting God’s help....well, for such things to happen...listen to this - God has had to be with You.  Speaking!!! Guiding!!!!  Directing!!! Loving!!!

When we look at the Scriptures, we hear God’s voice being spoken.  Spoken to the people of Israel and also the Gentiles.  It might be a soft reassuring voice like found in Isaiah, where the people of Israel are encouraged by the still small voice of God ... Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name and you are mine.  It might be a strong, almost harsh sounding voice of God as shared by a prophet like when John comes among the people and calls them to account when he says: Produce fruit in keeping with repentance and do not begin to say to yourselves we have Abraham as our father.  John was asking the people to look at their behaviors and discern if the way they were acting was truly holy and fitting and giving glory to God.  John reminded the people that it was not their history, but the God whom they held to that was important.  It was not who they were related to the was of any value, but the God whom they had a relationship with.  It not great works that they had accumulated, but the grace of God that they grounded and founded their life upon. 

We know that God speaks to individuals - we can remember the conversion of Paul on the Damascus Road.  We know of Nicodemus, of Jacob, Samuel and Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, Mary, Elijah and the list goes on and on.  The list does not end. God speaks to us ... not always with a blinding light or through mysterious visitors like Jacob experienced.  But God visits us.  Through our hearts and minds when we feel the tug of God pushing us to better behaviors - lifting us a little or a lot.  Calming our spirits so that peace can enter in.  Calming our Spirits ... That one that I can relate to.  When something happens, my first thought might be to almost jump out of my skin - to react.....but God comes and settles me down and directs my feeble attention to better ways.  The voice of God, directing me to better ways ... and God does that for us all when we ask for such a voice.  Directing our attentions to higher purposes.