I recently heard a powerful story about a man who went up in a small plane. Shortly after take-off, the pilot fainted. The man was extremely frightened and didn’t know what to do. He found the radio and made contact with another plane. They radioed the nearest tower and got him in contact with someone who could help.

The voice coming through the radio said I am the voice that is going to get you home safely, but you must listen carefully to my every word and do exactly what I say. The tower had to first find his plane on the radar, and told him to turn right, then left, then right and left, over and over until they spotted the plane.

Then the voice said he was heading right for a mountain and would only have five to six minutes before crashing. He listened very carefully to the voice that was guiding him and was able to miss the mountain. As he got closer to the airstrip, he had to fly through some bad weather. But once again, the voice on the radio got him safely through the storm.

Finally, the voice said they were preparing to land, and he needed to look for a cross. When he saw those lights, he would be home. The man was able to land safely. After leaving the plane, a man came to meet him. He recognized that voice, and knew he was the one who had guided him safely home.

I am also reminded of the story of Harriet Tubman, a woman who escaped slavery during the Civil War. Harriet was illiterate, scared and alone when she decided one night to make her escape north. But there was one thing she had. Harriet knew the voice of her God. 

As she ran under cover of night, she knew there were men chasing her. She had no idea where she was or which way to go, but God was with her. She would hear His voice say turn left, stop and hide, now go right, run, stop, turn. Throughout the night God’s voice guided her safely, and she eventually made it to Pennsylvania.

But God rescued Harriet for a purpose. In years to come, Harriet would make 13 more trips south along the Underground Railroad to rescue 70 more friends and family members. Each trip was just as dangerous as the first, and each time God continued to show her the way by His guiding voice.

We may not be in life threatening situations, but we still need to listen to God’s guiding voice giving us precise instructions as we go through our days. As we learn to carefully listen and immediately obey God’s voice, He alone will guide us safely home. We never know when any situation we encounter may become a life and death moment.

After hearing the message about the airplane, the Lord decided to give me a test. I was preparing to bake something but wasn’t quite ready to turn on the oven yet. But I heard God’s voice say a couple times to light the oven. However, I didn’t immediately obey, and then the electricity went out. So, I couldn’t use the oven until it was restored. 

I failed that test, but it was a good lesson to remember to immediately obey God’s instructions from His guiding voice because you never know what’s coming next.

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