READ: 1 KINGS 19:1-18; MATTHEW 17:1-8; JOHN 10:27-28

Listen. It calls in the treetops. Be still. It roars on the waves. Shh. It croons in the meadow. Listen. It whispers in the wind.

For as long as Aylen could remember, she had heard it. The Voice. It was one of her earliest memories. The Voice crooning to her—just as the nursery rhyme said—as she lay in a meadow of flowers. Whenever she thought about that day, a confusion of emotions flooded her.

It should have been a day of sorrow and fear—the day she had lost her parents. Instead, all she could remember was being surrounded by The Voice. It sang to her until one of the village shepherds found her sitting on a blanket in the middle of the field. Alone.

She loved The Voice. It filled her with joy and peace, comforting her in the absence of her parents. But as she grew up, The Void seemed to grow stronger, and The Voice seemed harder to hear.

Now, Aylen watched from her vantage point on the valley’s tallest surrounding hill, as her village was swallowed by the sticky darkness of The Void.

Early on, Aylen had tried to reason with the villagers. “Listen. The Voice will rescue you. The Voice is stronger than The Void.”

Her friends had mocked her. “The Voice isn’t even real, Aylen. It’s just a story.”

“It can defeat The Void,” she insisted.

But no one wanted to hear it. And so, The Void crept steadily on. By the time the people were ready to listen, it was too late. Following The Voice’s instructions, Aylen had led the survivors to this hill.

Turning from the devastation, Aylen raised her hands to catch the others’ attention. “Listen.”

The people stilled. A powerful gust of wind blew in from the east, whipping at their clothes before settling into a gentle breeze. One by one the survivors fell to their knees, eyes wide with wonder.

Aylen smiled. The Voice, speaking words of hope to those who would hear.

And just like that, The Void was pushed back by a whisper in the wind. • Jessica McFarland

• Today’s allegorical story is inspired by many Old Testament prophets who listened to the voice of God. They spoke about God’s great power and love, and they urged the people to turn back to Him and follow His good ways. In particular, this story is based on 1 Kings 19:1-18, when the prophet Elijah heard the voice of God as “a gentle whisper” (verse 12). Elsewhere in the Bible, it says that God sings over us with joy and surrounds us with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7; Zephaniah 3:17). When you think of God’s voice, what do you think of?

• All the Old Testament prophets pointed ahead to the greatest prophet: Jesus Christ (Luke 13:33; John 6:14; Acts 3:22-23). He is fully human, yet He is also fully God. He came to save us from darkness—but the way He defeated sin, death, and the devil was unexpectedly peaceful. Jesus let people put Him to death on a cross, though He had done nothing wrong. They didn’t realize He was taking all our sin upon Himself, and they didn’t know He would rise from the grave three days later. But now, He invites all of us to put our trust in Him—to listen to His voice and follow (John 10:27-28). For more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus" page.

• Sometimes the darkness of our broken world can be overwhelming, but God is infinitely more powerful than the darkness. As we look forward to the day Jesus will return and make all things new, we can rest in His joy and peace because He is with us. He offers us His comfort through His Holy Spirit (who lives inside Christians), His Word (the Bible), and His people (the church). Can you think of any ways God has given you comfort in hard times? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)