Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. Isaiah 30:21 NLT
If you had to choose which modern convenience you would most hate to go without, what would you choose? I would choose my phone. The capacity that is in this little thing I can hold in my hand absolutely amazes me. Of course, I can talk to people around the world, send mail, text, take pictures and store them, find recipes, check facts, get updates of my bank account, read the news, track my sleep, monitor my health – it seems limitless what my phone can do. My phone is smarter than I am 😊
Though I love all these features, one ability has been priceless for me. I have a greatly undernourished sense of direction. When I first started driving at age 16, I couldn’t picture carrying maps and atlases around, but that was what we poorly equipped folks behind the wheel had to do for long distances. My dad wrote out directions for me when I was going fairly short distances, but my lack of expertise was a problem if there was a detour or any unexpected issue. Then, of course, how could I drive safely while trying to read a map? Honestly, if I didn’t have a map or navigator to go with me, I would just stay close to home if I could. It just wasn’t worth the stress. My husband Charlie was an excellent help to me once we had cell phones. He would print out directions for me for trips to speak and then keep his phone close in case I needed help. But what a great day it was for us when I had access to Google Maps and Map Quest! Instead of all this effort to maybe find a way I could understand that would get me to the right destination, I could travel confidently. Now I had a trusted directional source traveling with me, and it even had a voice! It would tell me just what I needed to do to end up in the right place and would quickly enable me to get back on route if I made a wrong turn. It’s my lifeline.
Even better, I have a trusted directional Source for all of life. God promised if I am willing to listen, He will provide His reliable voice for my journey. He will always be with me, and I will not need to be frightened when traveling in uncharted territory. When God is with me, I can travel anywhere with confidence. My inner ears will hear God’s voice directing me in the way to go. That’s the promise from God to all of us coming first through Isaiah to the Israelites. When God’s voice is the one we are committed to follow, we will hear Him just at the moment we need Him, giving us reliable guidance and direction. As He points out the way to us, we can move forward in anticipation of reaching our destination. Traveling by responding to His voice is the path to the life we want.
- If God’s voice is the one I listen to and follow, I will end up in the best of all possible places.