HEARING GOD'S VOICE

There is a story that I once heard; I do not know whether it is an actual story, but it touched me and so I am recalling it here...


Before the time of internet and e mail, people used telegraph for urgent communication. The system used a language called Morse Code, by which messages could be relayed from one end of the globe to the other in the shortest span of time.

The language comprised a series of 'dots and dashes' and only experienced personnel could handle it efficiently and effectively. Most countries had the telegraph under government sector and the employees were salaried government servants with all the associated perks.

Once an advertisement came in the prominent daily newspapers that there is ONE vacancy for the post of telegraph operator in a particular town. Interested applicants could just present themselves with their certificates and diplomas and appear for an open interview at 10.00 in the morning at the local headquarters of the Post and Telegraph department the next day.

Since the salary and other earnings were good, there were quite a lot of eligible applicants who presented themselves at the department the next day, well before 10.00 hrs. They were all directed to a waiting hall with the interview room at one side.

At 10.00 hrs sharp, the interview board filed in to the room, and the candidates were eagerly waiting for the applicants to be called in on first -cum-first-served basis. Nothing happened! Nobody came out of the interview room and the door remained closed.

After 30 minutes, a young man suddenly rushed into the interview hall, breathless from running form the nearest bus stop. He sat down on a vacant seat; he remained there for about 2 minutes, and then he suddenly jumped up and ran to the closed door, opened it and went inside.

All those who were waiting were astonished! No one had called his name out! Nobody had come out of the office room! In fact, that door was never ever opened after 10.00 hrs!!!

After a few minutes, the office room door opened and the officer-in-charge came into the waiting hall and announced that the vacancy is filled and the interview is over. He thanked the candidates for coming and wished them a good day.

There was a great uproar!!! The assembled people cried out "this is injustice, this is corruption" !!! The mood of the crowd suddenly became very ugly.

The officer held up his hands for silence and said: "Since 10.00 hrs, we have been sitting behind that closed door and sending a Morse Code message out to all of you sitting here in this hall that we are ready to interview and appoint a qualified candidate. But none of you responded! Some of you were reading the newspapers; some of you were talking to each other; some of you were watching the television; some were sitting idly, thinking about something. This man came in and he heard and understood our message that if you come in now, you will be selected for the job and he ran inside. There is no question of corruption and there is no way we are going to accept any complaints about this interview. You may all go home now."

The crowd quietly filed out ....


From the time of creation, God has never stopped speaking to man.He speaks through His Word, which is the Holy Bible, He speaks through the creations, [Psalms 19:1 Heavens declare the glory of God...]

He speaks during our life crisis as well as blessings, He speaks in times of trials and tribulations....He speaks in times of joy and happiness....

But mankind has gone so far away from Him, that we are no longer listening to Him, we are no longer tuned in to His voice and thus we miss out on many blessings, corrections and warnings.

2 Chronicles 7:13, 14 says, "if I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I sent pestilence among My people, if My people which are called by My Name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land".

When we study these two verses together, something becomes very apparent:

1. If there is no rain on our fields [- meaning, if there be no blessings in our efforts, job, business ],
2. If there be locusts destroying our crops [- meaning, if our efforts bear fruit, we feel that business is good & everything is going well, yet at the time of reaping the harvest, or when we take stock of the income, there is nothing to show for all our efforts ]
3. If there be pestilence amongst us [- meaning sickness]

- the reasons for the above three conditions maybe God's intervention. He wants you and me to understand there is something He wants more from us by way of surrender and dependence, humility and prayer.


He gives us three promises for our response if they be in accordance to His will:


1. I will hear from heaven
2. I will forgive their sin
3. I will heal their land


My dear friend, if the call of the internet social sites and chat rooms and the sound of the television or FM or the radio is blocking Gods' Voice, turn them off and open the Bible.

If your business and your social life is blocking out Gods' Word, shut them out of your day for sometime in the peace of your home and open the Holy Bible.

Let God's Word speak to you today ....you will see and experience the blessings which are the response of God Almighty to your faith.

God bless you

Motty