Voices

His voice was not loud, but it was authoritative. It was loud only when frustration and anger gave vent to explosive temper. Then it sounded like thunder. Our nickname for dad was 'Chief Thunder Cloud'. He was not a big man physically. Just average sized. But he was a man big in generosity, big-heartedness, integrity, courage, and wisdom. People came often to seek his help. His was the voice they could trust. To me as a child, my dad's voice was both calming and frightening. Calming because I knew that he loved us unwaveringly; Frightening because I would not want to do wrong by him.

Voices surround our everyday. Verbal, vocal, virtual, intellectual, political.....Voices, voices, voices. So many voices saying such and such, telling this and that, directing here and there. Cac....cac...cac.... CACOPHONOUS! Who are we to listen to??

“The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars….
The voice of the LORD strikes…..
The voice of the LORD shakes the desert….
The voice of the LORD twists the oaks…..
The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.” - Psalm 29:3-11 (NIV)

As I reflected on Psalm 29 today, the voice of God sound-surrounds. Reaching across the waters, mountains, forests, the voice of God is authoritative, glorious, thunderous, striking, earth-shaking, omnipotent. Awe-inspiring. Unmistakable in its Omnipresence. Then the psalmist ends with this stunning conclusion:

"The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace."

The voice of God strengthens, blesses, gives peace, assures. Calms all fears, abates anxieties. Unmistakable in its Omniscience.

Lately one particular voice - loud, brash, bullying, belligerent, arrogant, tweeting, twisting, manipulating, menacing, has been keeping the world on edge. No one knows what he's going to say from moment to moment. Not even himself! And he seems to delight in keeping people confused and guessing. Creates a maelstrom of fears, agitations, anxieties. Unmistakable in its obscurity.

Which voice would I rather hear? Whose voice would I be wise to listen to?

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit say....."

In this cacophonous world, how thankful I am for the still, steady, strong voice of my living God.