A Familar Voice

Yesterday, after a long tiring day, I sat down in the shuttle bus that so faithfully takes me to my apartment - the good old Wilshire Express - Oh the comfort of consistencies. Exhausted, yet talking amongst some of my fine friends I received a phone call from an UCLA office number. Confused, I picked up to find someone saying something among the lines of...

This is UCLA Murphy Hall's administration - is this Cho Yim? Yes. We need you to come in to discuss your graduation requirements. It seems we may have missed something and we need to discuss your possible staying of one more quarter.

As you can imagine, I was pretty furious and outraged. My entire extremely well-thought out plan to graduate 2 quarters early... my set agenda to save $25,000+ of UCLA out-of-state tuition....

"You know that's going to cost me an extra $10,000+ ...right?! How did you guys mess up?! Where? Okay - when can I come in? I'm on the shuttle right now but I'm going to drive there as soon as I get back. I'm coming in right now so someone better be there." I was pretty much set and ready to beat down the entire system, show up, and pull a crazy. Anger, frustration, confusion, sadness, madness, and sin ran down my spine, all at the same time.

And then it hit me... or at least I thought it did. Hmm... a familiar voice... I sure hope its a familar voice. I thought harder and listened harder... and then I knew it - I recognized this voice! But I couldn't be sure... the situation was too drastic, the cost of being wrong too high. So I had to ask... "BILLY?! BILLY IS THAT YOU? THIS BETTER BE YOU BILLY!"

At the sound of his voice and his response I was so relieved. My burning heart cooled down, my anger seemed to quickly fade away. I had nothing left but relief... pure relief and a calming comfort.

Talking to Billy and even me looking back at it, we're both somewhat surprised that the prank went that far. I mean sure, Billy called from work with a UCLA #, but as one of my closest friends... I did not recognize his voice.... When the first sentence, the first word, the first utterance from his distinct voice should have caught my attention and given him away, it did not....
I sure hope that when God speaks to me I can recognize his voice right away. Because it seems to me that when you don't, it can lead to a whole lot of misunderstanding, trouble, and grief.

Dear God,
May I read, love, and study your word. May I soak in your presence, your fellowship, and your love. May I lay at your feet and bow to your throne. May I take in your grace and reflect your glory. May I know you more and more and more and more and more so that I never ever miss your voice. That out of all voices I hear, Yours would be the most familiar of them all - please don't ever let me miss your familiar, comforting, loving, true word.