Whispers from Heaven

I have never audibly heard the voice of God. No notes from above have been left under my pillow. There isn't a contact in my cell phone with the name Jesus attached to it.

But I have heard His voice. He still speaks as clearly today as He did thousands of years ago.

Over the years I have been asked several times, "How do I know God is speaking to me?" My usual response, "you just know that you know that you know." There are, of course, the basics that if God is telling you to do something, whatever it is will always match up to Scripture and will always match up to His character. But I am telling you, when God speaks, whether in a whisper or in a what seems like a shout, you will know in the very core of your being. It might take time to truly know that it is Him or have a few specifics revealed to you, but you will know that you know it is Him. He speaks with authority but it is always accompanied with His gentleness.

A couple of weeks ago I heard His voice again. I heard it in a way that breathes air into my lungs and fills my heart with joy. We were driving down to Texas for New Year's weekend, to spend time with friends and be in our own house (which Jase lovingly refers to as our "vacation home" since it still hasn't sold or leased). I was in the middle of Karen Kingsbury's new book entitled Unlocked. It centers around an autistic high school boy who keeps saying to himself "Jesus, I know you love me." Every time I read those words my heart resonated with the truth. No, this move hasn't been easy. We still haven't sold our home. We are still living with Jason's parents. We don't really know anyone. But even when things don't go as I desire, Jesus still loves me.

This prompted me to open my Bible and read Isaiah 43 again. We are told marvelously in this chapter of the Bible that even if the fires are all around us and we feel the heat, they won't consume us. As the waters rise and threaten to knock us over, we will not drown. We are summoned by God; He calls us by name! I am His! As I kept reading I came across verses 18 and 19 and it took my breath away.

These were the same verses I read in a book a friend sent me several weeks back. The book is on moving and gives wonderful hope and promises of God as you move to a new place and everything familiar is stripped away. I heard God's heart for me as I read these words. This was Him talking to me, whispers of Heaven to soothe my soul.

An hour later I went back to the Kingsbury book and you wouldn't believe it! In the story of the book these very verses were written out in the story line to the mom of the autistic boy. Except they were personalized in this way "My precious daughter, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up...do you not perceive it...I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. I love you, my daughter...you are not alone. Not now or ever."

Tears came to my eyes; my heart felt like it was up in my throat. No, I have no idea if God's voice is deep or if it is raspy. I have yet to receive a personalized text message from Him. But I know that I know, He speaks. And I love what He has to say.