Time…around lunch time
Place…A mountain lookout.
There are times, Lord, when I
feel the heaviness of your silence.
Many times I would love to have
you say something loud, clear, unmistakeable!. Your scriptures have been your
signpost, your manual for living, still…
What has unsettled me lately is
the claim by some that they regularly hear your voice. It sounds so spiritual.
It gives authority. It impresses. The trouble is, so much of what they say is
shallow, sometimes contradictory to your word. I also find it offensive when
their life style is more in the grey areas than in the light thrown by your
word.
However, people are attentive,
impressed by them.
Am I jealous Lord?
Do I want acclaim?
Authority?
No!
I do, however, want to know you
in a deeper way.
Lord, at least speak to me from
your word today as I read the life of Abraham.
………………….
Guess what I’ve noticed? In 175
years of his life it is recorded that you only spoke to him 7 times. In between
he had to walk in your silences. Is that what’s meant by you directing our
steps? To trust your integrity to move us, overrule, to fulfil your
purposes. Your silences are then a
statement of trust in your people. Wow! Is that the wonder of faith which you
call on us to exercise?
Maybe Lord, I need to spend more
time hearing what your scriptures say instead of worrying about what others are
on about.
Thanks for ‘speaking’ to me.
Amen!
Ray shares his insights in his first two devotional books in his 31 Day series, Marriage and Children. Ray lives in Tasmania, Australia, where he heads up a new Christian Fellowship and does relief preaching, community work and writing.
I just recently wrote about God's silence on my blog at garyeugenehowell.com . my point there was that God can speak to us through the word of God.
ReplyDeleteBut I also agree with you when you said, "Is that the wonder of faith which you call on us to exercise?" Yes, I think He will often be quiet to exercise our faith a little.
I also think that much of God's silence comes from the fact that he probably already told us what we needed to hear and do and that perhaps we haven't done it yet. Perhaps we prayed for guidance a few weeks ago and perhaps he told us then what to do, and now we're here in the present having still not acted on the guidance he gave. Maybe we didn't like what he said or perhaps through a lack of faith we didn't realize that it had been him who spoke to us.
Hi Gary
ReplyDeleteThanks for your insights. I 100% agree with you that God speaks to us through His Word. When He speaks He waits for us to act upon it. He can't give us any further guidance until we step out on what He has already given. God's silence is often His expression of trust in us although it is at the same time a test of our trust in Him.
God bless
Ray Hawkins
Hi Ray
ReplyDeleteI loved your blog. However. I'm sure God speaks today - His name after all is 'The WORD.'
The problem is we have selective hearing. We don't seem to be able to hear his clear instructions.
'Don't take offence.'
'Turn the other cheek.'
'Offer her your last one.'
'I carried that pain for you, so why are you still struggling under it?'
'I love you.'
'Be still.'
'Forgive him.'
'Serve her.'
These instructions are whispered into us everyday as long as the WORD is implanted within us!