spiritualsnippets.com

Seeing life's events in the light of God's Word.

No More Masks

I Samuel 16:17b– “… The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

I nearly passed up a friend at the grocery store this week. Her mask kept me from recognizing her—until I heard her voice.

Covid-19. Social distancing and…masks.

It’s become a way of life in our world.

A son comes home from war, left to live with the horrors he has seen. Parents hardly recognize the young man he’s become.

A familiar scenario for far too many.

God tells us in I Samuel that He knows us. He knows our hearts.

He sees beneath that “happy mask” we often wear for family and friends. 

Whether you are a lost sheep in need of a Shepherd or a believer in need of your Father’s encouragement, have faith and trust in the one who created you and loves you unconditionally.

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Calling All Sheep!

John 10:14- “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—My sheep hear my voice and they follow me.”

Most of the kids in our neighborhood played outside from the time we got home from school until we were called for supper.

Although there would sometimes be several parents calling their own brood home at the same time, each of us knew when it was our mother’s or father’s voice shouting  “dinnertime!”  

God reminds us that He is our Good Shepherd. When He says that His sheep know His voice, he is referring to those of us who are “His”—those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

How do we distinguish His voice, from that of others?

Simple: If it is written in His Word, the Bible, then we can be certain it is truly His voice. The Bible also tells us that He will speak to us when we seek the wisdom of Christian friends, pastors and other church leaders. Many Christians tell of instances when they “hear” God’s voice in the form of an “impression” in their mind after a time of prayer, meditation, and/or fasting.

What we do when we hear His voice is important.

If I had heard my mother calling me to dinner, and had not heeded her call, I would have been pretty hungry by bedtime. In the same way, if we do not follow-up on God’s call with some kind of action on our part, we will likely find that we have missed more than a meal. We will have missed a banquet!

I’m not saying that you are going to miss the Marriage Supper of The Lamb. I am referring to missing out on the daily relationship with God and His blessings for those who respond to Him out of obedience.

Set aside time for daily prayer and get back into The Word. 

Become familiar, again, with the voice of The Good Shepherd.

**Revised from an earlier blog post.

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