I was watching a fairly old movie about a girl hitch-hiking on a remote gravel road. First, a man drives by, but he’s on his phone, and nearly runs her over. Then, a couple drives by. They’re arguing. The man hears a soft voice whispering “pick her up”, but his wife refuses to let him. A third car drives past and again the voice is heard. The woman stops and picks up the hitch-hiker.

A little further they are stopped by the police. The road has been flooded and they have to turn back. Everybody ends up at a small restaurant a way back. The owner is alone and his name tag says: “Jesus”. It’s a wonderful movie that illustrates how Jesus cares in a practical way.

Jesus starts with the irresponsible man and asks him if he had heard His voice? But because the man hadn’t given his heart to Jesus yet, he couldn’t hear Him. Then He asked the couple if they had heard his voice. The man said yes, he had heard, but that his wife didn’t want him to pick up the girl. The third woman had heard and responded.

What a simple illustration, but it’s so true of our lives. I would dare to say that most of us are like the married couple. We’re so busy with our lives that we don’t hear the Holy Spirit. Yes, sometimes we pray for guidance and ask God to help us make the right choices in life, but we never sit down and wait quietly to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Let me just say this about the Holy Spirit’s voice. When we talk about a voice that is heard, we think it should be audible whisper in our ear. But that is not how the Holy Spirit speaks to most of us. No, He “speaks” inside us, working with our thoughts, so that we eventually know exactly what it is that we should do.

Our lives will be so much easier, there will be much less problems, much less bruise and wounds, if we are attuned to and make time for the Holy Spirit to work in us. We must remember that the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us when we give our hearts to the Lord. It’s part of the package, not just an optional addition. And we’re instructed to listen to the Holy Spirit: ⁷That’s why the Holy Spirit says, Today, please listen; don’t turn a deaf ear …

And if you’ve heard Him speak, go and do it. Don’t keep stumbling along. Destruction waits at the end of that road. I can tell you about many examples from my own life. Places where I knew the Holy Spirit didn’t want me to go, but where I insisted on going. The terrible pain that resulted from that was my own fault.

So, let’s make a point of having quiet time every day. You could read a part of Scripture or listen to music that will help you get away from the world. In this quiet time, the Spirit will guide you and talk to you. Then, get up and do it. That is the way of the truth filled with real peace and joy!

Scripture
Hebrews 3:6-11

Reflection
Can you hear the Holy Spirit?
What must you do to make your circumstances conducive to hearing the Holy Spirit’s voice?
Do you do what you know you have to do and not do?