The Voice

Four judges and one nervous unseen contestant singing his or her heart out is how the highly acclaimed TV show, The Voice, begins. One at a time they give it their best shot at turning one.. two…three…or preferably four chairs. The “judges” are not able to see the one who is singing…they can only hear their voices and judge accordingly. As the season progresses, they will be narrowed down to the “top ten”. Each one unique…each voice recognizable.

I’ve always found it fascinating that we all have distinct voices. Turn on your radio (or your mobile device) and listen to each modulation. I know that one because his tenor is clearly different from her alto. And that falsetto is not the same as this contralto or mezzo soprano. But, wow, no one can display a vibrato like so and so! This hollow, muscular organ containing vocal chords seems to be as varied as fingerprints, not to mention voices simply speaking words. We are undoubtedly surrounded by countless voices that fill our heads day to day. How do we filter out damaging ones, while honing in on the healing ones?

I admit I have read the Word for many years, but have not always heard the Voice of the Author. I have seen black print on white pages lacking power to tear down strongholds and set this prisoner free. I have listened to far too many voices leading me to places of fear and shame and condemnation, but have sadly tuned out the One Voice that offers grace and healing and life abundant.

Psalm 95:8, then later referenced in Hebrews 3:7-8 and 3:15, reminds us to listen. It says, “So, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion…’”     

His sheep hear His voice. But do we listen to what He’s speaking to us? Are we reading the Bible, but, like rebellious children sticking our fingers in our ears, yelling lalalalalalalala!! Are we blocking God out because we don’t really believe He’ll speak encouragement over us?    

Listen to Him for just a moment:  Even in adversity, God gave His children this promise, Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”  Isa. 30:21      

And… The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.  Zeph. 3:17

Now, THAT is the Voice I’m longing to hear. Desperately, I need His direction and guidance. I need to be led by the One who knows the path that is best for me. I need One who will quiet the noise in my head until all I perceive is my Lover’s song. I want His utterances to be planted in more than my auditory canal. My desire is for His words, His precious voice, to be planted in my very soul so that when I read His Word, I hear His Spirit speaking deeply into me and singing over me.  I desire to be like those road-to-Emmaus strollers who inquired of one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”  OH, to have a fire burning within as the vibrations of His voice shatter lying and deceptive ones while imparting words of love and hope!  May my ears be attentive to that sound above all others!

I could never be a judge on the Voice…I’d appreciate them ALL too much to ever vote any of them off. But in the day to day of life, I intend to eliminate distractive voices until my # 1 unseen Soloist takes center stage and the song He sings over me becomes my anthem.