A VISION OF A JESUS-FILLED WORLD COMING TO PASS
The Morning Star Rising on the First Day
When God Called Me By Name
One day, I was on my deck, catching some sun while gazing at the magnificent seacoast view. When I had received enough sun, I walked back toward my loft door. Then, as I proceeded through the doorway, I heard a powerful, masculine, yet calming voice speak my name.
From the moment His voice began speaking, everything around me started moving in slow motion – as if time was slowing down. The familiar sounds surrounding me faded, and I instantly knew that I was listening to the audible voice of God. I instantly lost muscle control as my body became as limp as a jellyfish. My legs had suddenly stopped supporting my weight, my knees buckled, and I plunged downward through the doorway, out of control. My forward momentum now propelled my head onto a collision course with the glass top of a pinball machine just inside the loft door.
Psalm 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
I had no muscle power to shield my head from being slammed into the pinball machine, and I presumed that I was about to be seriously injured. Amazingly, my muscle function recovered the instant that His voice stopped speaking. Consequently, I got my hands and arms up to the metal frame of the pinball machine to protect myself from harm.
I then reset my legs back under me and gradually stood upright. I looked around for God’s visible manifestation while waiting for His voice to return. But neither happened. Not knowing what to do, I replied in the custom of the prophets who spoke these words: Here I am, Lord. My heart was pounding as I stood there perfectly still, anticipating a reply, but there was none. Eventually, I walked off, very perplexed.
Subsequently, I could not help but think continuously about God’s voice. It was so perfect. How could I not wonder about a voice so powerful and yet so soothing at the same time? How could I not wonder about this voice that exhibited perfect articulation and pace and simultaneously used inflections and tone to convey an attraction to it? How could this voice create such emotions of harmony and peace? Why would it call out my name and utter nothing more? I would get insight into some of these questions the very next day.
The morning began like every other, as I had made it a practice to read a portion of the Bible every morning before prayer. I had set a goal of reading the entire Bible at that time, and the scripture below was a passage that I read that morning:
Isaiah 43:1–2 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, oh Jacob, and He who formed you, oh Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.
This scripture confirmed what had just occurred in my life. Chills ran up and down my spine as I realized that God had just called me by name. I belonged to Him now, and if I did not know it previously, I now knew that He would be with me without a doubt through all the challenging times ahead. God was with me then and would be there throughout my future. He would be there for my walk toward His plan.
Until next time, may all of God’s blessings be upon you and yours, and remember to:
A VISION OF A JESUS-FILLED WORLD COMING TO PASS
The Morning Star Rising on the First Day
SEEKING JESUS 