For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:4-9 ESV)

When God speaks, things happen. Light blasts through darkness, massive waters expand, and all of creation come to life with the breath of his command. Revelation 1:15 describes the voice of Jesus as “the roar of many waters” that will easily overwhelm the sound of Niagara Falls by at least a thousand more decibels. God asked Job, “Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?” (Job 40:9).

The majesty of his voice is so compelling and intimidating that I imagine our spirits being dramatically moved into a bowing posture of reverence with the sound of just one word. And yet, at the core of all that power is a kind and loving God, who so much delights in all his children (you and me), that he gently whispers hope and encouragement into the depths of our souls, so that we may have a friendship with him.