Be Here Now

Release worries about tomorrow or regrets about yesterday. Immerse yourself fully in today.

Presence Practices

• Do a 2-minute mindful breathing exercise, where you release what

• Spend time outdoors, noticing sights, sounds, and sensations.

Being present makes each moment meaningful and rewarding.

God Speaks

“Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’” Acts 9:4

Here are powerful artistic depictions of Saul’s dramatic encounter on the road to Damascus—the blinding light from heaven, Saul falling to the ground, and the audible voice of Jesus:

Some denominational theologies hold that God no longer speaks audibly. Even though I personally have not heard Him audibly, my question to those theologians is: If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then why did Paul hear an audible voice? I have personally met people who have audibly heard the voice of the Lord. If that is you, please comment how and when in the chat.

So Who Really Heard This?

Ironically enough, when Saul was on the road to Damascus, the Lord came to him and audibly said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” At the same time, a light shone around him from heaven. Verse 8 says that when Saul arose from the ground, he asked those he was traveling with, and they heard a voice but saw no one. Saul was blinded from this encounter for three days.

Some theologians say you should not seek to hear God’s audible voice because you will be disappointed if you don’t hear it. I would take a much different approach: I want everything that God wants to give. Do I demand that God is going to speak audibly to me? No, I do not. However, I do expect God to speak to me. There are many ways in which God speaks to us, and I do expect that He will talk to me through at least one of those ways. I can tell you He has already spoken to me through many of those ways.

Jesus was another who heard God's voice audibly. Yet again, many denominational theologians will tell you that Jesus was God, and we can’t compare our relationship to Him. I would say yes, Jesus was fully God as well as fully man.

Here are intimate depictions of Jesus in prayer—showing His oneness with the Father, as in His high priestly prayer in John 17:

“I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one.” (John 17:20–22)

What was Jesus saying in this prayer/request to the Father? What exactly does it mean that we are to be one as Jesus is one with Him? What does it mean that “I have given them the glory You gave Me”? What does it mean, “May they also be in Us”?

My friends, I don’t believe we fully understand what it means to be one with God, one with Jesus, one with the Holy Spirit. Do we?

Where do you stand on this Scripture? How far are you willing to go in the understanding that Jesus asked the Father that we will be one just like He was one? Also, take this verse in tandem with: “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)

My friends, I truly believe the Holy Spirit wants to speak to us in so many ways. I believe that we can be so in tune with Jesus (John 15:15) that we hear crystal clear from Him. Maybe it is time we clear the stage to make room for Jesus to speak.

Here are symbolic images of an empty, cleared stage or worship platform—representing space made ready for God’s presence and voice:

Listen to this song, then ask the Holy Spirit what in your theology is stopping you from accepting that God wants to speak to you like a friend today, tonight, tomorrow morning, whenever, however, He pleases. Let’s clear the stage this evening:

Clear the Stage by Jimmy Needham Song:

Meditation Questions

1. What needs to be cleared off the stage to hear from the Lord in my life?

Meditative Passages

• John 15:15

• Acts 9:4

Meditative Steps

Sound slows when objects are placed in front of it. Examine your life to see what is in front of God’s voice.

Let us make room—clear the clutter, lay down preconceptions, and open our hearts wide for the voice of our Friend, Jesus. He still speaks.