Be Fed
by David Dahl
Today, if only you would hear his voice, do not harden your hearts . . . Psalm 95:7b-8a
Does God really talk to us? Can we really hear the voice of God? Wouldn’t it be great if God decided to use billboards to talk to us? Just think, we could drive down the road and God would simply choose one of a zillion billboards to get our attention. There we’d have a mapped out message straight from God. There has been a movie or two that depicted God speaking like that. How cool would that be? On the other hand, He could use something more subtle. Like a gentle rap on the side of the head whenever I veer off course. There’s a thought. But then again, God smacking people whenever they don’t listen, would put me and most of us in a permanent “daze.” Not as good an idea.
Does God really talk to us? Can we really hear the voice of God? Of course, you could be one of the lucky ones like Moses, who was walking up the mountain, minding his own business, when he stumbled upon the burning bush. Or, how about the disciples who were personally recruited by Jesus? Most of us don’t have those kinds of encounters. So, how can I tell if God is talking to me? Through reading the Bible, which is God’s revealed Word. In order to actually “hear” God, we need to know some things about God–who God is and how He does things.
Fortunately for us, the Bible is full of teaching and examples. The Book goes into a lot of detail about what we can expect from God and how He expects us to treat other people. Through other people. God will use other people to try to get through to us. And more often than not, I find messages coming from people who direct me to practice what I read from the Bible. Through our circumstances.
Sometimes God teaches us through circumstances to lead us to the very thing we need to discover. Again, read your Bible and compare notes. Through the still small voice. Have you ever heard the tiny voice inside you whisper when you’re not on the right path? There may be a good reason you don’t feel good about it.
This is a good reason to be reading the Bible regularly. Reading God’s Word will help you tell (discern) the word of God’s voice from something or someone else. During our Mid-week Lenten worship time, we will encounter people who heard God speak clearly to them. James, Judas, Peter and others heard clearly God’s word of purpose, change, forgiveness, compassion and eternity. They reacted by making choices that surprise, inspire or sometimes trouble us. God uses lots of ways to talk to us. But actually hearing from God isn’t so much a matter of if He’s talking, but rather, whether we’re listening.
Join us Wednesday nights beginning Ash Wednesday March 1st. Come with your family and enjoy a good meal with great fellowship. Then come in for a short and meaningful time of worship. God really does speak to you. So, when you hear God’s voice, how do you react?
Keep and Live the Faith!
Pastor David G. Dahl
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