I Hear Voices

I will cause you to become the father of a great nation.
I will bless you and make you famous,
and I will make you a blessing to others.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All families of the earth
will be blessed through you.
Genesis 12:2-3 NLT
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It’s not just the schizophrenic that hear voices.

 

Every single one of us has a constant stream of chatter going on behind the scenes. Some of it is self-talk. Some are echoes of things said to us by others. Some is from books read and movies watched. Some of us even try to incorporate a soundtrack in there, too. Which voices do you let help you through the twists and turns of life? Which ones talk the loudest when you’re having a bad day? What’s the first voice in your head each morning – cursing an alarm clock? Cataloguing your to-do’s? Gratitude? Panic? Prayer?

 

A lot of athletes know that most games are played (and won) in the head even before setting foot on the court/field/etc. What you hear in your head MATTERS. What inner dialogues are shaping your actions?

 

This past week in Genesis, I read a lot about Abram [AKA Abraham]. The dude had crazy-strong faith. In chapter 12, God tells him to leave everything he knows and head for an unknown destination, AND HE DOES! In chapter 13, he lets his younger nephew have the more fertile land to live on and moves himself elsewhere to keep peace. And, in chapter 15 he takes his “army” of 318 sons, grandsons, nephews, and servants’ sons to go rescue his nephew from a much larger professional army!

 

In every chapter that I’ve read of Abram’s life, he takes on tasks that he is NOT trained for, NOT well-equipped for, and NOT certain of. What drove him to take these mega risks?

 

“Then the LORD told Abram, ‘Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.’ So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.” (Genesis 12:2-4 NLT)

 

Abram let the ONE voice that mattered speak into his heart, mind and soul. He let that voice shape his perspective and he believed that voice above all else. He let that voice tell him who he was, who he is, and who he will become. He let that voice remind him that NO MATTER WHAT God had a plan for him and that plan was perfect.

 

How would your day today look if you only listened to that Voice?

 

Dear Lord, I have so many thoughts playing king of the mountain in my head. I don’t know why it’s so easy for me to forget that YOURS is the only voice that matters. Please silence any voice within me that doesn’t speak your truth. Help me be bold like Abram. Help me to trust that NO MATTER WHAT, you have a perfect plan for me. Amen.

 

photo credit: Styven Magnes : Speech balloons via photopin (license)

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