🕊️ Hearing God’s Voice and Following Him

Opening Scripture

“Then the LORD came and stood, and called as at other times: ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for Your servant is listening.’”
— 1 Samuel 3:10 (NASB 2020)

“And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.”
— 1 Kings 19:12 (NASB 2020)

A Quick Story

One day I was driving Michael to scouts, and he asked me, “Papa, how does God speak to you?”

I told him, “God speaks mostly through His Word. Sometimes, like in the stories of Samuel and Elijah, He has spoken directly so people could hear Him with their ears. But most often, He stirs our hearts through His Word—and when it’s Him, we recognize it and want to obey.”

That’s how I know He spoke to both you and Samuel—He stirred your hearts to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.

“After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and coming down on Him.” — Matthew 3:16 (NASB 2020)

And that’s what baptism is: a public step showing the world that you belong to Jesus and have chosen to follow Him.

Devotional Insight

God has been speaking to His people for thousands of years—and His voice always calls for a response.

• Samuel was just a boy when God called his name in the night. At first, he didn’t recognize the voice. But when he learned it was the Lord, he answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10)—and from that moment, he obeyed.
• Elijah stood on a mountain, waiting for God to speak. The Lord was not in the powerful wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but in a gentle blowing (1 Kings 19:12)—a voice that came in quiet stillness, calling him to act.

Today, God still speaks—through Scripture and by His Spirit working in our hearts. Sometimes it’s while reading the Bible, when a verse grips your attention. Sometimes it’s in prayer, when a truth comes to mind you can’t shake. But to hear Him clearly, we often need to do what Samuel and Elijah did—step away from the noise, be still, and listen.

When God speaks, the right response is always obedience. That’s why baptism is so special—it’s you saying, “Lord, I hear You, and I will follow.”

Baptism doesn’t save you—Jesus already accomplished that through His death, burial, and resurrection.
But baptism is your first act of obedience, just like when Jesus was baptized and the Father said:

“And behold, a voice from the heavens said, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” — Matthew 3:17 (NASB 2020)

The Journey Ahead

Jesus never promised that following Him would be easy. In fact, He said:

“These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33 (NASB 2020)

There will be challenges. You will face moments when it’s hard to obey, when life feels confusing, or when following Jesus costs you something. But you will never walk alone—He will be with you every step.

And one day, after you’ve finished everything God has called you to do, you will stand before your Creator—your King, your Lord, and your Savior, Jesus Christ.
You will see Him face to face. You’ll look into His loving eyes, and He will look back at you and say the sweetest words you’ll ever hear:

“Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.” — Matthew 25:21 (NASB 2020)

Prayer Prompt

Thank God for speaking through His Word.
Ask Him to help you be still, listen for His voice, and obey Him quickly—just like Samuel, Elijah, and Jesus.

Takeaway Thought

God still speaks today—and the right response is always to listen and obey.