Recognizing the Sneeze

² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” – Jn 10

What does God want me to do?  What is his will?  Should I go here or do that?  Should I take this job or wait?  We ask a million questions of God, desperately wanting to know hid will for our lives.  But . . .

Would you know his voice if he spoke?

What if he has been speaking but we don’t recognize his voice?  Maybe it’s time to stop focusing on what he might have to say and start listening to his voice.  I believe that God still speaks today.  He speaks all around us.  He speaks through the Bible, through some people, through nature, and through circumstances (just to name a few).  Could it be that we are so busy looking for an answer that we have lost the art of listening to his voice?  Could it be that he is speaking to you but you can’t tell the difference between his voice, your voice, or the voice of a stranger?

On Sunday I was standing at the top back corner of our sanctuary at church.  It’s a HUGE room.  I had my back turned to the room and was staring at the wall and pacing, mentally going through the sermon for the morning.  (I know, it’s a weird Sunday ritual for me, but that’s what I do).  I was not alone in the room.  The band was rehearsing and the tech team was gearing up.  As I was staring at the wall I heard a sneeze.  It came from the opposite side of the room.  I immediately knew the owner of the sneeze.  My brother was in the room.  I turned around, to see Darel (my brother) walk in the opposite door.  I recognized his sneeze.  I know his sneeze.  It’s not a special sneeze.  It’s not an obnoxious sneeze that people talk about.  It’s not a sneeze that most people would recognize.  But I know the sneeze.  I have heard the sneeze before.  I recognize both the sneeze and the sneezer.

And so it should be with Christ.  Maybe it is time to stop trying to figure out what God is saying and start listening to his voice.  And when he speaks, whether loud or soft, we will know his voice.