Listening For His Voice

The past few weeks, Scott and Abby have been able to send two care packages to their little girl.  Mary now has pictures of her family, toys, a special blanket made for her by my sister, and other special items from her future parents.  I love that she now has two recordable books, one that Abby read to her and one that has Scott’s voice reading to her.  If Mary only heard the books read to her one time, it would be much harder for her to distinguish Abby and Scott’s voices when she hears them in person, but the people in the orphanage are letting her hear the books, over and over again.  Hopefully, when they are able to meet, their daughter will recognize their voices.  I can just imagine how her little face will light up when she hears them speak to her in person because those are voices she has heard several times.  What joy that will bring to all of their hearts.

 How much our Heavenly Father must delight in his children when they recognize his voice, listen to what he is saying, and willingly trust and obey what he is asking them to do.  The more we listen, the easier it will be to distinguish his voice over the others that are around us.  And when He speaks, I want to make sure I listen, respond in obedience, and bring him much delight.

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”   I Samuel 3:10

 

 But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.  I Samuel 15:22

 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17

 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  John 10:27