An Invitation to Hear God’s Voice
For Meditation
This Sunday we are continuing our series on Practicing the Good Life by considering the invitation to hear God’s voice. God’s people throughout the ages have always believed that God is a God who speaks. That is so amazing to me, that the Creator of all things, seen and unseen, wants to be in relationship and conversation with his human creatures. But that shouldn’t surprise us, since we see God speaking from the first page of Scripture through to the last page. The first thing God does after God creates humans is to speak to them - blessing them and tasking them with stewarding his good creation. In chapter 3 God comes to talk with the humans in the evening – I imagine that in those daily conversations they shared their discoveries and questions with God and God patiently instructed them on how to do their work. Even after humans reject God’s wise counsel and set out to do life on their own, Scripture tells the story of how God continues to speak and reveal himself and his purposes.
When God sends Jesus to his people, the writer of Hebrews describes it this way: “In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” (Hebrews 1: 1-2) The early Christians had the advantage of hearing Jesus’ words directly. We too can still hear those words of Jesus, God speaking to his people. The Scriptures are where we meet Jesus and develop a relationship with him, where we learn what the good life, the abundant life is that Jesus offers us.
The Scriptures are a living word, and they invite us to hear God’s voice in them. They invite us into a conversation with God – we hear God’s voice and we speak to God in prayer, thanksgiving, praise, lament, joy and other ways.
As you read today’s text look for ways David describes God’s speech. Think about how important God’s speech in the law (which for David at that time was the first five books of the Old Testament) is to David, how it shapes his understanding and the way he lives. As David meditates on God’s speech look for the way he responds to the God who speaks to his people.
Psalm 19
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.