Listen & Hear the Voice of the Lord

6/1/2021

A Reflection on the Psalm for January 10th, 2021:
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Psalm 29

R. The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
worship the Lord in holy splendour.

R. The Lord will bless His people with peace.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the Lord, over mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful,
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

R. The Lord will bless His people with peace.

The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.

R. The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

I love the ocean, but I am also wary of it. The Atlantic Ocean is the second most deadly ocean on our planet. When I watch its waters, heaving and flexing like a great muscle beneath seagoing vessels and alongside steep cliffs, I know in my bones what real power is.

And yet, even the ocean is not a power unto itself. Like all created things, it serves somebody. And that somebody is the Lord.

According to Psalm 29, the Lord is the Atlantic Ocean on anabolic steroids, multiplied by a gazillion. Our Lord is superlative: the holiest; the strongest; the most splendid and glorious and majestic. Actually, that’s not quite accurate. The Lord is more. He is holiness, strength, splendour, glory, and majesty! (If we are to describe the Lord accurately, we must think in exclamation points.)

In Psalm 29, more than any other aspect of Our Lord, we praise His voice. What is the voice of the Lord?

The voice of the Lord is thunder. Thunder is the sound generated when lightning heats the surrounding air to a temperature five times hotter than the sun, causing the air to explode in a “clap” of thunder that is 10 times louder than a jackhammer. Very hot. Very loud.

“The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.” The oak is among the largest and longest living of hardwood trees. Compared to the powerful voice of the Lord, however, it is pliable and easily uprooted.

“The voice of the Lord is upon the waters ... upon the many waters.” The Lord can command the waters. He can part the Red Sea, cover the earth in the Great Flood, and calm the waters of the Sea of Galilee.

But, as powerful as it is, the voice of the Lord does not command me, unless I will it.

When I am distracted, I hear the voice of the Lord less like a clap of thunder and more like the crackle of static. When I cling to resentment, the Lord’s voice (which can twist the oak) cannot bend my will. When I am soiled by my transgressions and hide myself from His forgiveness, the Lord (who commands the waters) cannot wash me clean. Hebrews says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” That is His desire for me, that I open my ears to listen actively and respond to His voice.

O Lord, You are power, but You will not force Your will on me. When I am hard of hearing, obstinate, and sullied, remind me to call upon Your Holy Spirit, that I may open my ears, soften my heart, and make spotless my soul, so that Your will may be done in me and I may worship You in Your splendour.

Donna Davis

14 Comments

Sandy

6/1/2021 08:53:45 am

Donna this is beautiful. Such a reminder that when I harden my feet like a spoiled child, determined to have MY way, I build an impenetrable wall around myself that blocks grace. And then proceed to bang my head against that wall. Come Holy Spirit. Calm this spoiled child and give me a heart of flesh!

Donna Davis

6/1/2021 05:24:32 pm

Thank you, Sandy. God sets such an example for us. He respects our free will. He invites us but never forces us. Even though He knows what is best for us, He allows us to choose and, when we are faced with the consequences of our bad choices, He comforts us and helps us to set things right. Grace is always available to us. Makes one wonder why we're so stubborn about it all, doesn't it?

Laura

6/1/2021 09:23:06 am

"That is His desire for me, that I open my ears to listen actively and respond to His voice." How true!

Donna, your beautiful reflection reminds me of how we're all called into co-authorship with the Lord. He isn't interested in showing off or proving Himself to anyone, He's interested in relationship and communion, both of which require vulnerability, surrender, and the ability to listen!

6/1/2021 05:45:46 pm

So, so true, Laura. Our God is not a finger-wagger. He never says "I told you so" or "I was right." Instead, as you say, he invites communion -- and what an invitation!

Lindsay

6/1/2021 09:41:35 am

Donna, I can just see the water against the rocks at Peggy's Cove, or crashing at the beach, and the way thunder can shake our foundations. Your reflection is a beautiful reminder of what can happen when we cooperate with God's power; it's amazing to reflect on the gift of our free will within it!

6/1/2021 05:56:29 pm

Thank you, Lindsay! When I read about "the Lord," I nearly always think of Jesus, a gentle Jesus. But then there's the power of the Lord, which is (as you say) foundation shaking and just ... beyond!

Lori

6/1/2021 10:09:01 am

You are the salt of the earth, sister, and you know the ocean like a true East Coaster. Your humour and analogies slay me!

I have experienced God’s power like a thunderous wave, and I have muted His voice in my belligerence. So, I am joining my prayer with yours this morning, welcoming His power to storm within me.

6/1/2021 06:23:36 pm

Thank you, sister! God's power is so much like the ocean. Deep, with all the obvious action on the surface and the real strength beneath. God gives us a hint of it, but I think we'd be shattered if we saw much more. Blows the mind.

Michelynne

6/1/2021 11:02:02 pm

Something about this today reminded me of how big the Lord is, Donna, so much bigger than my little issues, but how little I lend him my ear. Crazy to think that his "voice" carries such power yet I am unable to hear. Thank you for this imagery.

6/1/2021 11:16:13 pm

I hear you, Michelynne. I wish, how I wish, that I could appreciate how big the Lord is. If I could appreciate how big the Lord is, if I could get that in a visceral way, I'd be all ears. Now, that's something to pray for!

Suzanne LeBlanc

7/1/2021 08:10:15 am

I will have to pray to have my ears open ALWAYS and not just when I have a question that I have formulated that I want an answer to. The Atlantic Ocean, such a worthy analogy for God's power! I need to pray to be open to it. Thanks for this Donna.

7/1/2021 07:12:55 pm

Wise words, Suzanne. I should pray that prayer too. To have a close relationship with the Lord, I must have my ears open, not only when I'm ready to listen but also whenever He's ready to speak.

Lisa Matheson

10/1/2021 12:16:34 pm

I love the beautiful imagery in this reflection Donna. I’ve recently started praising God not only for my many blessings but simply because of his AWESOMENESS!! (Definitely needs caps and exclamation). And it has brought me great joy. This line also struck me:
“But, as powerful as it is, the voice of the Lord does not command me, unless I will it.”
All that power, and He still leaves it up to me. It’s pretty incredible isn’t it?

10/1/2021 12:50:05 pm

I couldn't agree more, Lisa. God's respect for our free will is truly incredible! God knows what is best for us, but He still allows us to find our own way - not in an impatient go-ahead-and-make-your-mistakes way, but in an okay-I-got-your-back way. This is the God of the Prodigal Son parable, always waiting to celebrate our victories and help us pick up the pieces after our setbacks. And what you're saying about praising God's awesomeness is wow! To say "I worship You for all You are, Lord God!" is so full of freedom and surrender that my heart gives me a big smile and does a slow clap. As you say, incredible!