Turkey Calls

Yep. Get excited. Throughout several Ellsey naps, I plan to compose and publish another post. Here's hoping it won't take fifteen days. So the other day, my delightful husband informed me that he was going to take up turkey hunting. Please note that turkey season started about two weeks before he was to leave the country for a year. But in Jason's mind, that was long enough. He took on his new hobby with a vengeance and soon came home with a turkey calling kit. If you've never turkey hunted (don't feel too bad about yourself, it doesn't sound all that cool), the calling devices are pretty strange. Picture a mouth guard that doesn't guard your teeth but fits into the roof of your mouth. You blow in a strange way and the sound of a turkey magically comes forth. Unless you're Jason.

When Jason first blew his turkey call he sounded like an asthmatic child blowing a kazoo. Needless to say, it was hysterical. As entertaining as this was, Jason remained determined and next pulled from his turkey calling kit an audio CD. Yeah. A CD that teaches turkey calls. After a few days of riding to work and practicing his turkey call, all the while enduring thoughtful and loving ridicule from his wife, he apparently began to sound like a turkey. I wouldn't know because I've never heard, nor wanted to hear, a turkey.

I found it pretty impressive that the more Jason heard the sound of a turkey voice and with the right tools, the better he got at projecting that voice himself. How true is this in our walks with Christ? The more we listen to his voice, the better we are at emulating the voice of Christ in our own lives. The more we hear him, the more we act and sound like him. 

It's Easter, so maybe you went to church today. And maybe it was your first time in church in a while. Or perhaps you've been in church your whole life, but never truly known the sound of God's voice. I urge you not to give up. Practice. Put on your turkey calling CD and listen to it in your car. Get out your own set of tools: read God's word and begin to learn what his voice sounds like. Ask God to speak because, I promise you, he longs for you to know his voice. And until you know his voice, imitate those who do. I don't mean this in a fake way. It's easy to put on the Christian show. I'm saying with all your heart, look to those who know God's voice. Look to them and model your life after them. Ask questions, they will be glad to share what they know. Hebrews tells us to "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith (13:7)." As you imitate, you will grow in understanding of the true voice of God.

Just as Jason imitated the turkey pretty terribly at first, so you might struggle with imitating Christ and his followers. It is not easy, but as you work and as you strain to hear his voice, it will become more and more natural with each passing day. And as you hear that voice, as you learn how God deeply and intimately longs to talk with you, I pray that you will respond to what he says. It will not always be easy. Actually, more often than not he will call you out of your comfort zone. But when you truly listen to his voice and he begins to mold your desires to his, your voice and your actions will sound more like Christ each day. "So as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts' (Hebrews 3:7,8)." Open your ears and your hearts. Begin the journey of learning his voice today. And maybe, just maybe, eat some turkey.