Word-Filled Wednesday ~#24~ 3/6/11

That Familiar Voice

PASSAGE: "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" ~Isaiah 30:21

"For He [God] says, 'In the time of My favor I heard you, & in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." ~II Cor. 6:2

LESSON LEARNED: I had one of the sweetest grandma's ever. Everyone called her Bigmom. She raised 14 children in the "hollers" of east-central Kentucky, my mom is the 'baby' of those children & I am the 52nd of 52 grandchildren.

Bigmom lived w/my family from before my grandpa, Poppie, passed away, many years before I was born, until I was about 11 years old. After I graduated from my crib we shared a bedroom until she moved into her own cute little house next door to one of my uncles. And even after that, I spent many weekends at her home until she passed away at 90 years old, when I was 18.

And I even dare to say that since she helped raise me - & lived through the trauma my family went through when my twin sister died after birth - that I may have been her favorite of all those grandkids. Now, I know she had a huge, loving heart & loved ALL of her family & other grandkids, but my brother & I were the only grandkids that she actually lived with & helped to raise. I'm sure in many ways she looked upon us as her 15th & 16th children.

So, having lived w/her for so many years & spending so much time w/her even after she moved, I knew her voice so very, very well. I can still hear it & it even makes me tear-up a little to recall it. How dear her memory is to me. How I would love to hear her sweet voice in conversation now.

About 20 years ago, we lived across the street from an elderly couple who were from the same area of Kentucky as my grandparents were, so they "spoke our language," if you know what I mean. :-) Grace reminded me a lot of Bigmom. One day, my phone rang & when I picked it up I heard, "Kimmy?" said in such a familiar way that I could swear that my heart literally skipped a beat! It was Grace, but the way she said my name sounded SO familiar, SO much like my Bigmom & I hadn't heard that sweet voice in so long.

This makes me wonder . . . if my heart was so stirred by thinking I was hearing a much-loved voice from my past ~ even for a spit second ~ how must God's heart thrill at the sound of our voice when we come to Him in repentance & prayer? How wonderful He must feel, as our Heavenly Father, when He hears our voice after a long separation of sinful living or of a time of backsliding or even a busy schedule? Our voice must sound like music to His ears!

Our prayers are sweet conversation with God & conversation goes 2 ways. We must learn to listen & to know His voice (John 10:27) so that we may know what He wants us to do & where He wants us to go.

God LOVES it when we talk to Him, as any father would. If it's been a long time since you've spoken to Him, why not make Him happy & talk to Him today . . . & everyday. He loves the sound of your voice!

Come & join Nancy at A Country Mom & I, if you are not already participating! Each Wednesday, we dig into the Word of God & share what we are leaning. All you have to do is share a passage you have read during your devotions, share the lesson you have learned from the Lord & then connect with others who are doing the same & comment on their blogs. Let's learn from the Lord & each other.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><