A few days ago I picked up my husbands phone thinking it was mine and said, “Siri, what’s the temperature outside?” Nothing but silence. So, I posed the question again. Met with more silence. Finally, I looked at the phone case and realized I was holding my husbands phone. Siri did not know my voice. An inanimate, digital assistant can determine who is speaking to her through voice recognition. Impressive.

This morning when I woke up I simply prayed, “Lord, I want to hear Your voice.” Then, I corrected myself, “I want to know Your voice.”

It was a simple change, but it altered my prayer significantly.

I believe that God is always speaking to us, but how often can we differentiate that it is Him speaking? There is so much noise around us that it’s sometimes difficult to hear the still, small voice of the LORD.

Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 1 Samuel 3:4-5, NIV.

Samuel heard the voice of God calling out to him in the midnight hour, but he was unaware of who it was speaking to him. It took four times for the Lord to call his name before he responded, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” He has Eli, the high priest, to thank for guiding Him toward the voice of the God.

Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

I don’t want to only hear God speak; I want to know it is Him speaking. I desire to know His perfect will for my life and follow Him.

Prayer: Lord, I want to hear Your voice speaking to me and I want to be able to discern it is You speaking. I desire to know Your voice and for You to also know me, as your sheep and faithful follower. Silence the noise around me. I also pray that You will speak through me and allow me to be Your voice in someone’s wilderness and valley. I love you, Lord, thank you for answering my heart’s cry today. In Jesus name, amen.