TV Antenna

The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.

John 10:2-5

When I was growing up, we had a television set but no cable service. Instead, we had a giant antenna mounted on a motorized rotating pole in the attic. The motor was wired to a little box with a dial near the TV. Around the dial were various markings for specific channels. The TV would tune into the signal for a channel no matter what direction the antenna was facing, but the reception wasn’t nearly as good until the antenna was positioned accordingly. I knew if I went to watch cartoons on Saturday morning and they came in fuzzy, it was probably because my parents were watching the news on a different station the night before. Depending on which channel I wanted exactly, I could usually make out some of what was being said or see a bit of the picture. However, if I adjusted the antenna in the right direction as was marked on the dial, I had a clear picture and clear audio. It would take up to a whole minute for the antenna to move around the dial – sometimes getting a worse signal on the way – but the end result was worth it.

This is so much like how we hear God. If I’m focused on God, it’s clear to hear what He desires in my life. But if I’m focused on my lustful desires, God could certainly still be speaking, but it’s a lot harder for me to hear what He’s saying. He didn’t change where His voice came from, I just need to adjust my spiritual antenna to pick up His signal. How many other “stations” do we try to tune into in life?

The other thing about the TV antenna was that it could only be pointed in one direction at a time. In our spiritual lives, if we think we’re listening to something non-God and also still tuned into God, we are mistaken. And if we try to listen to God without adjusting the antenna, we might be able to make out part of His message, but it will be an extremely frustrating process. Instead, if we begin to reposition our antenna – a potentially lengthy process – the end result will be a much clearer understanding of His message.

*Father God, thank you for being constant. No matter what else changes in our lives, we know that you hold steady and that you never fail us. Thank you that your Word says even if we lose faith, you remain faithful. You are always broadcasting your signal. Thank you for your Word, a sure place we know we can tune into you. Please help us recognize when our spiritual antennas aren’t pointed at you and know how to adjust them. We want to be in tune with you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!

For the clearest signal from God, keep your spiritual antenna focused on Him!