God or Thunder?
John 12: 27 – 30
27 "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
28 Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."
29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him."
30 Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.
Jesus said that the voice came for the sake of the people, yet many failed to hear what the Father spoke. Some mistook it for thunder; a natural occurrence that was easily explained. Others heard a voice but did not receive what was spoken. They knew it was more than a natural event yet dismissed the words as being for the Lord and not for them.
How often have we missed God’s voice because we thought it was just thunder? We concluded it was simply a coincidence or a natural event. We heard something, encountered a moment, but failed to recognise His longing to communicate with us. The One who always speaks is not just heard in words. Yes, He speaks through scripture, a sermon or a devotional. But His voice is also heard in a song, a picture, the comment of a friend, the sights we see, the numbers we notice, an awareness that floods our soul, or the simple beauty of a moment. In times we least expect, and in ways we cannot contrive, He speaks into our world.
A burning bush that was not consumed caught the attention of Moses. However, it was only when he turned aside, that God spoke (Exodus 3:2-4). It is the turning of our heart that the Lord looks for. Likewise, it was when Samuel finally said, “speak Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9) that he fully heard what God was saying. Often, what we hear is limited, vague or obscure. It is simply an invitation to stop and listen. Jesus repeatedly said, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” If we have the desire to hear from God, we will hear Him speak, for that is intent of His heart.
God is looking for those who will take the little they heard and seek for more. It may sound like thunder, something we didn’t expect or don’t quite understand, yet it is for our sake. If we are faithful with the little, we will hear in greater measure. If we seek Him, we will find Him and we will hear His heart for He longs to speak.
Communication creates closeness. God didn’t walk in the Garden of Eden because He needed exercise. He did so because He wanted to talk with the ones He had made. As relational beings, we are made in the image of a relational God. He longs to talk to His children and the more we recognise His desire to speak, the easier it is to hear.
Actively listening and believing in His heart towards us, positions us to receive more. He speaks for our sake because He wants us to hear. It’s not about mastering techniques; it’s about trusting His heart. Jesus simply said, “My sheep hear My voice” (John 10:27). There were no qualifications required, or steps provided. He simply promised that He would speak, and we would hear.
God or thunder? Our thoughts, natural events, mere coincidence or the thoughts of God? We get to label and decipher what we hear. Yet often our fear of getting it wrong, being misled, looking stupid, or being deceived, lead us to dismiss the very thing our hearts long for. We want a God we can talk to; we long to know that He hears and that He also speaks. Fear however, robs us of the joy of such encounters.
While we need to check what we hear against the authority of God’s word and seek the opinion of others, the truth remains that the Lord longs to relate with those He loves. In unexpected moments and in ways we cannot contrive, He speaks into our lives. How His heart delights when we hear Him amidst the hustle and bustle of the day, the long hours at work, or the quiet moments when we seek to sleep.
Can we hear more than thunder? Will we perceive His voice in the everyday aspects of our lives? For our sake, He speaks, and He longs for those who have ears to hear and a heart to listen.
