Does anybody else begin conversations this way? I know some people who make a formal introduction for every phone call, but I call more who begin the conversation this way.
I really like John 10. Ever since I pondered it in a Bible study (Experiencing God, I believe), it's meant a lot to me:
27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them
eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my
hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can
snatch them out of my Father's hand.
My father is gone now, but I used to have this almost instant reaction to hearing his voice on the phone. I remember getting a phone call from him while I was at work and hearing his voice, I suddenly felt very homesick, and on the verge of tears. Or maybe over it, but you can't prove it.
And it's not like we were separated by much distance. I've never lived more than 30 minutes away. And growing up, I had a list of grievances against him that it took growing up to just get over. But no matter where we were or what the history was like, that voice to me meant strength and security. I am sure my dad was the smartest dad in the world. Always. And that's hard to come by just any day.
I knew I could count on my dad. He could (and would) tell me the right way to just about anything I needed to know. Unless I asked for his opinion directly on something and then more often than not, his nonanswer would just be so frustrating. But sometimes you need help and sometimes you need to figure things out on your own and now I guess that's just part of growing up. I do know that it's annoying, particularly when you don't agree on when you need the help!
I have this memory of his voice on the phone sort of wrapped up with the idea of Jesus and the Father. We should be able to recognize the voice calling us even when it only says "Hey, it's me." And that voice should make us feel secure because nothing can remove us from the Father's hand. And sometimes there are answers and sometimes there aren't and that's just a part of growing up, but that voice is always one to depend on.
And here I am on the verge of tears remembering a phone call. I don't remember the subject but I remember the voice. I remember where I was sitting and I remember the feeling. I think I'd know that voice today, nearly 9 years since I've heard it. I'm not sure what that says, but I'd like to be able to recognize the Father's voice that well someday.
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