When God Speaks, Things Move

Psalm 29:3-9 

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

    the God of glory thunders,

    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.

⁴ The voice of the Lord is powerful;

    the voice of the Lord is majestic.

⁵ The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

    the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶ He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,

    Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the Lord strikes

    with flashes of lightning.

⁸ The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;

    the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the Lord twists the oaks

    and strips the forests bare.

And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

Voices have a unique ability to change the atmosphere. The tone and cadence of traditional Gaelic and Nordic music sung a capella, for example, awaken something primal in the most modern listener—whether or not the lyrics are understood. The conviction and passion in Martin Luther King Jr.’s voice as he delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech stirred hearts and spurred on the Civil Rights Movement. An entire office buzzing with bustling people can suddenly stiffen at the bark of an overbearing boss. Yet all these pale in comparison to the stupendous impact of God’s voice.  

The Psalmist reminds us that God’s voice is not only comforting but commanding, not only beckoning but fearsome. When God speaks, things move. In the beginning, his voice launched dynamic life and order into a non-existent universe. His breath unfurled the fresh tendrils on the first vine and swept under the first bird’s wings, lifting it into the newly stretched heavens. That same voice thunders and shakes the earth from its foundation, splinters the mightiest redwoods, and whips the sea into a fury. It has a power to alter unlike any other. 

Just as God’s voice spoke the universe into existence—and has the power to devastate it with a single whisper—we, being crafted in his image, carry the power to build up or tear people down with our words. How we echo God’s voice reveals the contents of our heart. As Jesus explained, “For out the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).  

If our hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit, our voices can stir life, topple enemy strongholds, and usher the world into deeper awe of God’s majesty. We can shift the atmosphere of our homes, workplaces, churches, and every space we enter by speaking the truth of who God is. Echoing God’s voice might mean speaking truth when it’s unpopular, declaring God’s promises in the face of opposition, or offering an invitation to the outcast. It’s not about the volume, but the power of the message. 

But first, we ourselves must be moved by God’s voice and filled with his Spirit. Let us be people who listen intently, speak boldly, and echo the Lord with every word. 

● When was the last time God’s voice shook you to the core? 

● How do your words reflect the condition of your heart? Are they life-giving, or draining? 

● In what ways can you intentionally echo the voice of God in your circles of influence this week?