Storms, Sirens, and the Spirit’s Voice
Deuteronomy 6:4,5 | Genesis 29:33 | Psalm 27:7 | Acts 2:1-4
A few days ago, here in North Texas, the storm sirens went off. It surprised me because I had not been paying attention to any weather reports and just thought we were getting a little more rain.
But there is a characteristic we Texans have sometimes, in that we tend to ignore storm sirens. We might look out the window to see if any clouds are swirling or step out on the porch to look for old ladies riding through the air on bicycles (shoutout to my fellow Oz fans), but we just as likely will keep watching our show or go back to sleep.
The sirens don’t always signal something as dramatic as a tornado; sometimes it’s just high winds, but they’re still meant to get our attention. The problem is, we’ve heard them so often that it’s easy to tune them out. We hear the noise, but we don’t always respond.
Last Sunday, Pastor Jay said, “God’s people are distinguished by being people who hear differently.” He mentioned the Shema and how the Bible highlights hearing with this Hebrew prayer.
The word Shema appears over 1,000 times in the Old Testament, and it is usually translated “hear” or “listen,” but it goes much deeper. In Scripture, to Shema means to pay close attention, to focus, and then to act. God asks it of us, but first He shows us.
In Genesis, we read how Leah was treated so unfairly. Cast aside, unloved, she cried out to God and God answered. She says, “God heard me,” and the word she uses is Shema. She’s saying God didn’t just hear noise, He noticed, He cared, and He did something.
In Psalm 27:7, the psalmist cries, “Shema my voice… answer me.” It’s a cry not just to be heard but to be helped. And just as God listens to us in our pain, we’re called to listen for God’s Spirit, tuning in like we’d tune a radio dial to a new frequency.
Real listening, biblical listening is not passive. This kind of listening, on both sides of the relationship, is active, engaged, and life-changing.
God created us to Shema. We have a God who hears us and acts, and we can be God’s people who hear and act. We were made to listen to God’s voice, love Him, and reflect His character to the world.
When we learn to listen we are able to open up to God’s heart in all areas. It is a conversation between our souls and the Lord, transforming our character and teaching us how to walk with the Lord even through our suffering and weakness.
The Spirit rarely turns on the loud sirens or yells over the noise of our lives. More often, God’s Spirit speaks as we dwell with Him; quietly, gradually, persistently, until, suddenly, something shifts. If we’ve been listening all along, we’re ready.
So are you Shema-ing? Ask God to tune your ears, your heart, and your actions to the Spirit’s voice.
Then when the storm sirens do go off, you’ll be ready.
TUNING IN
• Are there any “storm sirens” going off in your life right now that you’ve been ignoring? What might it look like to respond with faith instead of habit or distraction?
• In what areas of your life might God be speaking quietly, waiting for you to listen and act?
• How can you create space this week to tune your heart more closely to the Spirit’s frequency—through prayer, Scripture, community, or even in your moments of weakness?
RESOURCES:
• Bible Project video - Shema/Listen
• Dwell Prayer Guide