Hearing His Voice |

“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine…they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

John10:14,16b

There are many people praying right now. The different religions of America and the world are being tested on who exactly is being heard and by whom. It would seem coronavirus is not a respecter of persons, politics, riches, or of the “gods of this world.”

I went on a personal journey as all of this was beginning to spread. As my concerns over COVID-19 grew, I began to fight being anxious over this. How bad is this? What danger does this pose for my children? Is food going to be on a shortage (I did not imagine toilet paper would be the first crisis!)?

My Lord began to send me down paths of stored up songs and Scriptures to nourish, strengthen, and comfort my soul. May I share with you the path that brought me to peace?

When COVID-19 first began to enter America and concerns began to rise, I began to have hymns come to mind (not by my own purposing, but God bringing forward that which I had previously stored up). The first one was “In Times Like These.” As I began to hum the verses, focusing on Jesus Christ being my Savior, my anchor, and my Solid Rock, comfort began to seep into my spirit. I then proceeded to go about my duties, taking care to prepare, but also not to fret.

As concern grew, and toilet paper and other goods began to run out at stores, I had to pray. We prayed for protection, but then also took measures to be safe as we had been hearing and reading. We prayed for God’s provision, protection, and guidance. I then made sure to be acutely aware of His voice as I shopped for our needs that day.

The next hymn He gave me was “On Christ The Solid Rock I Stand.” I began to hum about my hope being built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, and how I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. Coronavirus does not stand a chance against that. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand…ALL other ground is sinking sand. I am thankful for the many measures being taken for our safety, but in the end it is my Jesus Who determines whether I live or die, as well as my loved ones.

These hymns, which are based upon the Holy Bible, gave me great comfort as the Scriptural truths saturated and calmed my mind. In addition to these, there were sermons I was hearing speaking of how we can have peace from the Lord when we come to Him in prayer and thanksgiving. I also heard how these times are times for Christians to shine for Christ and to the glory of His name. That when no one else will step forward to help, to volunteer, to sacrifice, may we be the ones who do. May our Lord’s name be lifted up before the world at this time in a way that it cannot be during times of ease. People are afraid right now. Christians can point the way to our God and our Savior Jesus Christ who says He has not given His children the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound (calm, logical) mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

Then, as COVID-19 began to grow, schools were shut down, gatherings of over a 100 were banned, then 50 and even down to groups of 10 were recommended. Other states were doing “stay-at-home” orders. I began to battle becoming anxious. I had not been singing the songs in a day or two, though God had also been leading me to various Scriptures over the past few days. I tried to sing the songs again, but I was struggling a little more now.

I got on my knees in prayer and bowed my head. I said, “Lord, I am thankful You have allowed this testing. It has challenged and tested my faith in You and caused me to search like I would not have if things had remained as they were. So now I find myself searching just how much do I really trust You? Lord, I must admit I am scared. Let’s just throw that out there and not try to hide it any more. I am scared. What about my children? What about my husband? What about my parents, grandparents, and so many others? What about the ministry? What about making ends meet month to month? My Father in Heaven, Lord God, I am scared.”

And here is where I began to hear His voice, for He calls His sheep by name, and His sheep hear His voice (John 10). He said, “Be anxious for nothing.” I recalled hearing in a sermon just a couple days ago the Scripture of Philippians 4:6 which says, “Be careful (anxious) for nothing…” I paused, and He said it again, “Be anxious for nothing.” I said, “Well, yes Lord. I have been trying to be cautious and prepare as much as possible, but I am beginning to be anxious, and that means worrying and not believing that this is all in Your hands. So, yes, Lord. I surrender to You. I will not be anxious.”

Then as I began to read my Bible, I reviewed the verses from that sermon.

“Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Ah. Here is my answer. Give it over to God. Pray to Him, but be sure to do so with thanksgiving. Then His peace, which we cannot explain or understand, will keep my heart and mind calm and sure. Jesus will be my answer to all of this. Yes, Lord. Yes.

The following verse I did not find until two nights later. A mere one verse down to Philippians 4:8. I have known this verse for many years, and looked at it as a help to keeping my mind positive and not on the critical. But seeing it suddenly, as it followed verses six and seven, it took on a whole new light. Look at this verse now, as seeing a pandemic causing worldwide panic and how we must look to God, through Jesus Christ, to find peace. I had been wondering how to keep my mind sound throughout all of this, and here is where He led me.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on THESE things.” Philippians 4:8

Hmm. Wow. Yes, if I made sure to check my COVID-19 thoughts against this criteria, it would help a lot.

True – make sure my knowledge of coronavirus is factual and not here-say, nor gossip, nor the opinions of others.
Honest – Yes, be honest with myself and the facts. And be sure my sources are doing the same.
Just – Am I looking at this equally, not biased? Am I behaving myself in the same manner?
Pure – Keep my thoughts and actions pure toward others and my family in all regards. Likewise being sure that those I look to I can count on the same.
Lovely – Don’t listen to the hate talk or chat. Bickering has no place in any time, let alone times such as these. Be sure I am not a part of any conversation that could be described as not being lovely.
Things of Good Report – Really, Lord? You want me to see what the good report could be about coronavirus? So I googled it. “What is a good report on coronavirus?” And you would be surprised at the things that popped up. It gave me an angle to be thankful about the ways this virus could be worse.
Praise – Hmmm. I praised our president and other leaders’ quick actions to confine and limit the spread of COVID-19, saving thousands of lives before our nation progressed to the death numbers of other nations in record time. I also praised my God for His intervention and hand in my life and others’, as well as our nation. I also praised Him for “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Then, to top it all off, after I had bowed my knees and placed my face to the floor, my hands forward, imagining I was holding His nail-scarred feet as I prayed, this is what my God led me to in the Scriptures. I sat to study God’s Word, the Holy Bible, and see what He had for me in answer to my prayers of beginning to be afraid and needing Him. (You see, often God uses His Word, Hymns, and Sermons to answer my prayers. The answers are always founded and proven upon His Word.)

“For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.” Romans 14:7-9

I was amazed. He did not send me verses about how much He loved me, though He had done that just a mere three nights before (Jeremiah 31:3). He did not send me to verses of reassurance of how I was in the palm of His hand, though He had done that within the last few days, too (Isaiah 49:16). Nor did He send me to verses about how mighty I could be through the power of His name, though that has definitely been addressed in the past as well (Philippians 4:13).

No, He sent me to the place in His Word that would address my specific fear and the struggle I was having: death. “What if’s” had been beginning to plague me over my children, my husband, myself, and my family. Sadness and tears were surfacing at the thought of loss. And dare I admit it, even panic was rising, if it was not squelched? My hands were clenching too tightly to those whom He had given me on loan and to a life which He had not promised me beyond today. He said to me in these verses, “Amber, this is why I came. I came and died, and rose, and lived again…so that I would be Lord of both the living and the dead. Death has no victory over Me. Coronavirus has no victory over Me. Will you still serve Me and trust Me, whether you live or die? Whether life or death comes to your loved ones?”

Here is where I surrendered to Him, to His Lordship of my life, to His sovereignty. This is when the peace began. Something began to change in me immediately, to which I am not sure even now that I can explain. Sure, I will still use caution, but no longer out of fear, out of prudence. Perhaps that is why it is called the “peace which passes understanding.” I cannot explain it. I just know my core being changed. And coronavirus is not my lord. Jesus Christ is. It is Him who is Lord over all. It is to Jesus Christ that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord, all to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

Yes, I am so glad to be one of His “sheep.” For without His voice, I would not know where to turn. Will you turn to Him today and receive the peace which passes understanding? Start in The Gospel of John in the Holy Bible, and look to the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ God’s Son. He is calling you today. Will you follow Him? Allow Him to save you from your sins, sins which will take you to Hell and torment you far worse than coronavirus ever can.