The voice we use to cry to the Father is the voice He gave us to talk to Him and praise Him. More are the references in God’s Word of praise than of crying.

In fellowship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, (1 Jn. 1:3; Phil. 2:1) our voices are changed because our heart, spirit, and mind are changed. No longer do we need to cry to our Father but the remainder of our time in the wilderness is used to praise Him, to pray for others and cry out to them with news of the blessings of His kingdom, inviting them to join our family.

“He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God, just as He has spoken.” Deuteronomy 26:19

We are brought through the ages and stages of this wilderness life as His people to praise Him. His people in the Old Testament were delivered from their enemies to be His people, to worship and serve Him.

The Voice and the Choice

Our voice is obedient to our hearts and minds. Before we knew our Father and were brought to live in His fellowship, our voices were speaking the things we saw and heard in the world. Before the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ is shined in our hearts, the god of this world blinds and prevents people from knowing God. (2 Cor. 4: 3-6) We naturally spoke the things he put in our minds. From our physical birth, the spirit of oppression ruled our heart and spirit. All we knew was to complain, cry, to lash out in anger and violence. Our voices indicate the state of the heart — whether of fury or grace. 

The stony heart was chiseled with the nature of rebellion and disobedience. Sin was the voice of the world since the beginning — until Jesus came, set up His kingdom and changed us. With the “new heart and the new spirit” (Eze. 36:16) we have a new tablet on which our Father writes, by the Holy Spirit impressing upon us His nature and the life of Christ. (2 Cor. 3:3) This new heart is the eternal heart given us in Christ. (Jn. 17:3;6:68) The Holy Spirit speaks through our spirit to renew and transform our minds and lives in preparation for eternity with Him. (Roms. 8:15-17; 12:1-2)

His voice through His Spirit and His Word presents a new way – a new path that is irresistible. Pride sometimes presents the thought that a person is able to make this choice on his own. But just as we did not choose to be born physically, we are unable to turn away from the Father who loved us before creation – before He sent Jesus as sacrifice for us. Because He loved us before the world was (Jn. 17;5), He sent His Son to reconcile us to Himself and make us His own. (2 Cor. 18-19)

Those who refuse or doubt and spurn His love proves they do not belong to Him. These will continue in their rebellion, crying and complaining through the remainder of their wilderness experience and for eternity.

Our voice is the indicator of our destiny for eternity.

Quite different is the voice of God’s people from the world – the voice of continual praise. Just as He chose the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, He, in Christ, has chosen us for His eternal nation.

In Simon Peter’s first letter he describes us “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices (of praise) acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Pet. 2:4-5)

Here is His creating a people out of this world to “offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Him through Jesus Christ.” (see also Heb. 13:15)

After explaining the difference in those who are of this holy priesthood and those who refused Christ (“They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.”) he describes the house of our Father and His Son.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (1 Pet. 2:9-10)

How can we not praise Him if we remember the darkness of this wilderness from which He has delivered us. But more so, the thought of His qualifying us “to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light, (eternal fellowship with Him) delivering us from the power of darkness and conveying us to the kingdom of His Son. (Col. 1:12-14)

We live and praise Him because we are His children here, now, and forever.

 Imagine what might happen if all God’s people joined in one voice of praise, across this land and around the world. Would not heaven be opened to pour out His blessings upon us.

Gracious Father, we praise you because you are worthy to be praised and you bring your own praise through us to yourself. You will not fail to bring your children up in your own nurture and admonition. Enable us to spend our energy not for our cries and complaints but for praises, thanksgivings, and witness to others of your great love and care. Draw others to yourself through us. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Fran

(Chapter from OUR FATHER HEARS ~The Voice of Daughters Crying in the Wilderness in progress)

Suggested Reading: Presription for Praise,  God is Our Goal

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