Thunder or the Voice of God

We enjoy talking about things that interest us. When someone chooses a subject, we are disinterested in…well it is difficult to be attentive and listen. It’s my choice to pick the topic for this blog…it’s a significant one. And, it is my wish that you will not be disappointed in the topic of choice. You see, our topic involves both of us. It is about our voice. What is voice? Let’s use this definition, voice is the ability to produce sound by the vocal organs of a vertebrate. A voice is one of the characteristics of being human.

You and I have a voice. Unless an accident or birth defect has occurred, we can produce speech and communicate with others through speech. We each have a voice. With our voices we are able to speak to others of our wants and needs, our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears. With our voice we may reveal envy, express love, vocalize our suffering, indicate reflection, and convey astonishment. Our voice is one of the most effective methods of interaction with others.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is reported to have said, “The human voice is the organ of our soul.”

Return to the definition of voice: voice is the ability to produce sound by the vocal organs of a vertebrate. We humans are not the only ones with voices. Our definition states: “the vocal chords of a vertebrate.” This clearly includes birds and mammals. Fish are vertebrates, but my limited fish knowledge has not revealed that fish vocalize. Neither do snakes…ok, does a hiss count? Frogs and toads are vertebrates. They have magnificent voices in season. You can disagree only if you have heard a chorus of frogs call after sunset on a warm spring evening.

Perhaps the most celebrated of animal voices are the birds. Squirrels chatter, often with scolding voices. While Elk have a voice in season which many find hauntingly beautiful, few would argue against the magnificence of birdsong. We know and find delight in the voice of the Robin, Red-Winged Black bird, the swallow, the Canada goose and Loon. Bird song has touched human souls for ages. From the distant past the words of Aesop remind us, "It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds.”

Think more profoundly about voice…Does God have a voice? And have we heard God speak?

Yes…God speaks.

Often, we do not hear the voice of God. Is there a reason why don’t we hear? Or there are times we mistake the voice of God for something else. One day the people with Jesus did...

“The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.” John 12:29-30

Wouldn’t it be good to be able to hear the voice of God? Why then do we fail to hear the voice of God? Why do we mistake His voice for something else? Wouldn’t it be best if we could hear God speak? Possibly there are times we believe God does not have a voice...”it thundered.” Or in other times we think if God does speak, He would never stoop as low to speak to us... “an angel spoke,” they said.

So often we are deaf to the voice of God. Why can’t we hear God speak?

There is a bigger more important question...does it mean God does not exist if we do not hear Him speak? If we do not hear words from God does that prove He does not exist?

He is all powerful; everywhere present, all knowing- if words are what we require for proof that God exists; we are far too shallow in our reasoning. God speaks. He is speaking now. He speaks when we open our Bibles, He speaks when we pray. Stand outdoors...close your eyes and listen, open them to look at the sky. God can use words to speak...He is God.

What if we are more able to listen when He speaks to us through other ways? God made our ears and our souls...He loves us. He Is speaking. Listen, hear the voice of the One who made the ear and the voice. He knows our wants and needs, our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears.

The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. Psalm 29:3-4