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"Spiritual people are not those who
engage in certain spiritual practices; they are
those who draw their life from
a conversational relationship with God."
(Dallas Willard)
God's Voice
Does
God still speak today? That question provokes
a wide range of answers from believers.
Some,
for whom Christianity is primarily a moral system,
raise their eyebrows in surprise or narrow their
eyes in suspicion at such a suggestion. Others,
for whom God's voice has been too still and too
small, suggest He spoke in Scipture and all we
have are echoes of an ancient word. Still others,
who yearn for more intimacy with the Lord,
suggest that He speaks on everything and
has an opinion about every decision we face.
Multiple
variations exist between these basic positions.
So, what can we make of it?
Francis
Schaeffer got it right. God is here, and He is not
silent.
He
speaks through creation. Who among us has not
experienced "deep calling to deep" at the sight of
a magnificent tree or a glorious starry night?
He speaks through people. Have we never
heard wisdom from a friend or teacher? He
speaks through His Word. In quiet moments as
we read attentively (rather than studiously), He
takes the written Word and brings it to life in
our hearts.
He
speaks to us through our conscience . C.S.
Lewis aptly showed that God's Spirit quickens us
to know right and wrong. He speaks to us
through prayer. Why would we pray if we felt
otherwise? He speaks to us in our thoughts and
feelings. He knows our hearts and minds and
dwells in the innermost places within us, so we
can be sure that He desires dialogue in that
deepest place.
Does
the Lord have a word in every situation? Of course
not. Good parenting frequently requires silence.
We stunt the maturing process of our children if
we speak constantly, make every decision for them,
or control everything they do. Our children need
both our guidance and our silence.
The
Lord speaks more than most people realize, and
less than some people hope. Perhaps we'd hear Him
better if we ourselves spoke less and listened
more. Ultimately, we demonstrate our maturity in
Christ, not when we can defend our faith
strongly, state our theology
concisely, quote Scripture prolifically, or
point to our moral lifestyle proudly, but when
we draw our own life from a conversational
relationship with Him .
He
has given us ears to hear. Let's hear.
In
HOPE
-
David | 
