Hearing God 101
In John 12:27-33, we overhear a conversation between Jesus and God the Father. First, Jesus talks honestly about the gravity of His daunting assignment to die for the sins of the world: “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour” (v. 27 NIV). Then He adds a prayer: “Father, glorify your name” (v. 28).
How often, when confronted by a perilous situation, have you felt like Jesus and sighed a prayer similar to His?
What happens next is astounding! The Father speaks audibly, confirming that He has glorified His name in the past, and He will do it again (v. 28). Thus, the Father assures His Son that the path leading to the cross will result in God’s glory. If the Father had communicated these words directly to Jesus’ inner spirit, the crowd would not have heard it nor benefited from it. Instead, the Father chose to use an audible voice. This is why Jesus says, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine” (v. 30).
What is the benefit to us? The Father reveals to us that life in the fullness of Christ includes constant communication – a two-way conversation. Jesus speaks and the Father responds. When you or I speak, God will respond. Flip through the Psalms and you’ll see how repeatedly people speak to God in expectation that He will reply in some manner. Psalm 107 is a good example.
Objection: So I should expect an immediate, thunder-like response every time I pray? No, the Lord decides the timing and the way He chooses to answer, but He does respond in some manner. If you expect a reply from God, you will detect His answer, even when it’s a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12). If you have already defined prayer as one-way communication only, how attentive will you be?
Another Objection: But “a message from God” can be misinterpreted. You are right. In fact, that’s what happened when the Father spoke to Jesus about glory. Though the crowd heard the divine voice too, some thought it was thunder, and others called it the voice of an angel (v. 29).
Every time you open your mouth to send a message, the potential exists for the intended recipient to ignore, misinterpret, or misunderstand what you say. Despite these potential drawbacks, have you ceased talking? Of course not! Neither does God. If the Lord were afraid to speak because we might misunderstand Him, the Bible would be very thin.
One More Objection: What about the wackos who commit some crime claiming: “God told me to do it!”? Such cases are the reason we are advised: “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. (1 Thess. 5:19-22). If we permit the wacko cases to muffle our hearing of God’s voice, the devil has succeeded in deceiving us to seek only half of the gift of communicating with the Lord. The devil loves fractions. God gives fullness.
Just One More: But a message from God is too personal, too subjective. Won’t a person be tempted to treasure it too highly? When Psalm 119:72 says, “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold,” doesn’t that mean we are supposed to treasure words that come from our Creator?
The Father assures Jesus that even though He will be condemned and lifted up on the cross, the one who actually will be judged and driven out is Satan, the prince of our rebellious planet. Jesus treasures these words from the Father precisely because they are so personal. Even though people of that day were universally repulsed by the barbarity and shame of death on a cross, the Father’s promise reassures His Son that by enduring the cross all people will be drawn to Him! So in John 12:27-33, Jesus models for us that when God grants us a personal word, we are supposed to treasure it highly!
When God has guided, encouraged, or warned you in a personal way, how highly have you valued it?
This is post #21 in an online dialog about the Gospel of John occurring online at www.philbickel.com, Facebook, and Youtube. You’re invited to join the conversation.
A catalyst for the dialogue is a free 97-page ebook by Phil Bickel, Fullness or Fraction in the Gospel of John, which introduces readers to 10 essential building blocks of life in Christ.
[The drawing is a detail from the cover of Diálogos de Amor (Dialogs of Love), a booklet I wrote and produced in 1986 when I served at Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones radio ministry, in Caracas, Venezuela.]