Today's Scripture
Hebrews 1:1-2
"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son."
If you grew up in church, you probably heard stories about God speaking to people. Moses and the burning bush. Samuel hearing his name in the night. Paul on the road to Damascus. Dramatic. Unmistakable. And then you prayed for God to speak to you and heard nothing. Not a voice. Not a whisper. Just your own thoughts bouncing around an empty room.
And you started to wonder: did God stop speaking? Was that just a biblical thing? A first-century thing? Something that happened before the canon closed and the age of miracles ended?
Also Read
John 10:27
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
Teaching
The writer of Hebrews does not say God stopped speaking. He says God spoke through prophets in the past and now speaks through His Son. The medium changed. The speaking did not. God did not go silent. He changed how He communicates. From prophets to His Son. From external voices to internal presence. From dramatic encounters to quiet, persistent, daily guidance through the Holy Spirit.
God still speaks. Not less than He did in biblical times. More. Because now His Spirit lives inside every believer. You do not need a burning bush. You have the Holy Spirit. And He has been speaking to you since the moment you believed. You just did not know how to recognize it.
Here is the problem. We have defined "God speaking" so narrowly that most of us miss it when it happens. We think God speaking means an audible voice. A clear sentence that drops into our mind like a text message from heaven. A burning bush. And when that does not happen, we conclude God is not speaking.
But God does not mostly speak in audibles. He speaks in impressions. In Scripture that suddenly makes sense. In the words of a friend who had no idea you needed to hear that. In a peace that settles over you when you make a decision. In a persistent thought that will not leave you alone. In the beauty of creation. In the conviction of the Spirit. In the quiet nudge to call someone, to apologize, to step forward, to wait.
All of those are God speaking. Not as clearly as an audible voice. But clearly enough for the person who is listening. And the more you listen, the clearer it gets. Not because God gets louder. Because you get better at recognizing His voice.
Jesus did not say "my sheep hear my voice once a year at a retreat." He said they listen to it. Present tense. Ongoing. Regular. Listening to Jesus is not a special event. It is the normal rhythm of the Christian life. And if you are a believer, you have been listening longer than you think. You just called it something else.
Think about a time when you felt a strong nudge to do something and you did it, and it turned out to be exactly the right thing. Maybe you called someone you had not talked to in months. Maybe you said no to something that felt wrong. Maybe you showed up somewhere and it changed everything. That was God speaking. You just did not have the vocabulary for it.
God speaks. He always has. He always will. The question is not whether He is speaking. The question is whether you are learning to recognize His voice. And that is what this series is for.
Speak This Out Loud
"God, I want to learn to recognize Your voice. Help me listen."
Today's Challenge
Think about a time when you felt a strong nudge to do something and you did it, and it turned out to be exactly the right thing. Write that story down. That was God speaking.
Journal Prompts
- When have I felt like God was speaking to me?
- What did I call that feeling at the time?
- What keeps me from recognizing God's voice?
Reflection Questions
- Do I believe God still speaks today?
- Have I been listening without knowing it?
- What am I willing to do to learn to recognize His voice?
Today's Prayer
"God, I want to hear You. I have probably been missing Your voice. Help me learn to recognize it. Help me pay attention. Help me listen. Amen."
Final Word
God is speaking right now. The question is not whether He is talking. It is whether you are listening.
With honesty and hope, Claire