"purdy, purdy, purdy...whoit, whoit, whoit, whoit, what-cheer, what-cheer... wheet, wheet, wheet, wheet..." I know that sound! That's the call of a cardinal. I look up into the trees, which are budding (but with limbs still visible), in search of the flash of bright red. I know the bird is around because I hear its continuing call, but I cannot see it. This shouldn't be difficult (not like Where's Waldo!) -- It's just brown tree, green buds, and a bright red bird. But alas, I cannot spot him. Over the past while, I've been learning to recognize some bird calls. Where I previously just heard "birds", I can now identify some of the songs. It's funny how the 'elevator music' of the outdoors has now morphed into specific songs associated with particular birds, just because I have spent some time learning to listen.
As I was reflecting on this, I thought: this is so much like our relationship with God. We walk through life so unaware of all the things God is doing around us. We don't hear the words He whispers to us -- gently guiding, encouraging, teaching. We might hear "birds", but we can't pick out His voice. We have not learned to listen.
However, as we learn to recognize His voice [through reading the Bible (His written word), and talking & listening to Him (through prayer)], we can then sometimes distinguish what He is saying to us. We recognize His voice. We can hear His words admidst the cacophony of noise that surrounds our daily lives. We can choose to listen for Him. And, sometimes, God's voice will seem so obvious to us, that we will be shocked that the whole world doesn't hear Him.
Sometimes, even when we hear His voice, we might not be able to see Him.....but that doesn't mean God isn't there. Often we can't see what He is doing and how He is working in circumstances and people. Just like the cardinal that I could hear but not see, God is there, whether or not I can see Him or what He is doing.
So, when I listen for the songs of the birds that I now can recognize, I will also remember to listen for the voice of my Lord speaking into my life, and to look around to see the things He is doing around me.
