I received a call (several, actually) about promotional opportunities for my book, What a Miracle Can Teach You About Creativity. Listening to the representative on the phone, thoughts bounced around in my mind:
“This sounds like a great chance to promote the book!”
“Is there a catch?”
“Can I afford it?”
“I can’t tell if this is a good deal.”
They boiled down to a simple question: Should I do it?
Several factors weighed on me as I wrestled with a decision. Things like doing the will of God, making wise decisions, and capitalizing on opportunities.
Of all these, chief for me was the will of God. Obeying the Lord would honor each one. If God wants me to get this package, then I’m doing His will. And that fact would make buying it a prudent thing to do. I wouldn’t have to worry about the details or how the future would unfold. Nothing to second guess when the Lord’s guiding you!
But that’s the issue, isn’t it? How would I know?
While listening to the representative describe the plans, I was also trying to hear a second voice.
“Tell me what to do, Lord, and I’ll obey.”
I didn’t have a preference about this venture. I could go either way, so I had no reason to believe that I’d distort what God would say.
A nice, reasonable, and simple approach.
Except that I didn’t hear a word. I don’t know if God was silent or if He’d spoken but I didn’t catch it. Either way, the result was the same. I wasn’t sure what I should do.
Many Christians follow this approach to decision-making. They ask the Lord a question, wait for His answer, and then carry out His directions. It’s great if God talks to you, but if you encounter nothing but quiet, what then?
The Bible asserts that ours is a God of revelation. Apologist Don Stewart notes that “some thirty-eight hundred 3800 times, the Bible declares ‘God said,’ or ‘Thus says the Lord.’” Scripture abounds with declarations of God communicating.
The Old Testament opens with thirteen references to God’s speech. “And God said” occurs eleven times in Genesis 1 (vss. 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29) and “God called” appears twice (vss. 8, 10).
And the Old Testament closes with two verses about the Lord addressing His people (Malachi 4:1, 3).
The New Testament maintains the principle of divine communication. At Christ’s baptism before His ministry starts, God announces His approval of His Son.
“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” – Matthew 3:16-17
And the New Testament draws to a close by quoting the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 22:17, 20).
Jesus is the heart of God’s speech. He expresses God’s essence in ultimate fashion. As the writer of Hebrews observes,
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” – Hebrews 1:1-3
John even identifies Jesus as the very Word of God (John 1:1, 14; 1 John 1:1; Revelation 19:13).
Whatever God tells us, then, will in one form or another point us to Christ. The Father converses with us to draw us to Jesus. Yes, God answers our questions and gives us information, but He aims for something greater–relationship with His Son. We may have a hundred different reasons for talking to God, but His intent never wavers. He seeks to exalt Jesus in our lives. In our desire to hear the Lord speak to us about a matter, we would do well to bear this in mind.
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to look at the various stages or levels of what it means to hear the voice of the Lord. We’ll also deal with the issues in our lives that hinder our attempts to listen to God.
Be encouraged! As disciples of Jesus, we can hear Him. It’s possible! Remember Christ’s admonition: “whoever has ears, let them hear” (Matthew 11:15).
Is that you?
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