Do you recognize his voice? Does he recognize yours?

There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, Proverbs 18:24b.
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When my brother and I text or email or give each other cards, one of the special things I treasure is that we both will sign off with "love, me". Of course sometimes he will sign off as "love, the superior sibling" and in playful response I reciprocate, but for the most part it is "love, me". It's a sign of intimate knowing and friendship. With siblings you can have a heart connection that is often rarer than other friendships because childhood is shared, a family is shared, play and childhood silliness is shared, real struggles no one else knows about are shared, and really great simple moments and adventures have been shared.

When we were little, about 4 and 5, we had a game we played at bed time called "friends". Each in our own rooms, we would turn on our battery operated walkie talkies and have our stuffed animals talk to each other. This was one of those really great simple things I shared with my brother. But life happens, we grow up; have other significant relationships. Adult life often naturally separates the closeness. But there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother... Jesus.

I just learned that in the time Jesus lived, there was a door protocol followed for visitors. The visitor would knock, and the person inside would say "Who?" The visitor would respond only with "I". If you recognized the voice, you opened the door and let them come in (1).

We are to recognize the voice of our friend and let them in for fellowship and partnership on that defining attribute. Their voice. God's voice has many defining attributes and by knowing Him better, we recognize his voice.

We have to get to know God's voice. When Jesus said to Peter, "It is I, do not be afraid", Peter replied, "Lord if it is you tell me to come to you on the water" (Matthew 14:28). Peter tested and wanted to clarify the voice of the one calling him to get out of the boat and walk on water. Such should be our prayer life, asking "Lord is it you telling me to..." if we are unsure. Ask and it will be given.

Here are a few of Jesus' words related to reciprocal friendship, knocking, and recognizing his voice-

• Revelation 3:20- Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
• John 3:29- The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. (Said by John the Baptist about Jesus)
• John 10:2-5- The one who enters by the gate is the Shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.
• John 10:27-28- My sheep know my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Here are a few scriptures related to being unfamiliar with the voice heard or being afraid of God's voice-

• ​Genesis 3:9-10- But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
• Luke 13:23-25- Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them,​ "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'

Many will try to enter and not be able to... these are serious words from Jesus, friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19). Does God recognize your voice? Are you knocking on his door and visiting with him? Have you let him in to your heart?

In our relationship with Jesus, we need to tune to his voice. We need to be familiar with his voice. We need to test and seek out His voice. We hear his voice through the indwelling of the Spirit and in His Word, John 16:12-15. There are implications that it is absolutely critical for him to recognize our voice; and for us to follow his voice as proof of our love for him.

• Hebrews 3:14-15- We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."​
• Matthew 7:24- Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
• Luke 11:28- He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
• John 14:21- Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”

God hears our voice-

• ​Psalm 116:1-2- I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
  he heard my cry for mercy.
  Because he turned his ear to me,
  I will call on him as long as I live.
• 1 John 5: 14-15- This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

In prayer, let him know you want to be able to hear His voice better. Ask and keep on asking. If you feel like you haven't heard his voice in awhile, assess if there is a "last thing" he asked you to do but you did not obey. Review in your heart if you have a block; and if He is just waiting for some honest dialogue between the two of you. He is faithful and just to forgive. He longs to hear your voice. He sticks closer than a brother. He is a forever friend. He always ends with "love, Me".

(1) Wright, Fred. January 28, 1953. "Manners and Customs of Biblical Lands", pg 15.

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