How God Speaks
November 18, 2019
Have you ever tried communicating with your dog or cat or whatever pet you have or have had, and wished they understood exactly what you were telling them? I find myself in this situation, time and time again, when I would tell my dog what to do, and he would do something else. I would repeat the same thing to him, and he would look at me like he is trying to understand, and sometimes he gets it; other times he does not. This is how I see God speaking to us.
God is all-knowing; we’re not. He is all powerful; we’re not. He is perfect; we’re not. He is in heaven; we’re here on earth. For God to make us understand what He’s saying is like me trying to make my dog understand exactly what I’m saying.
Just as it takes familiarity with my voice and words for my dog to finally get what I’m saying, so it is with God. It takes ‘knowing His voice and what He’s saying’ for us to hear and understand.
God is all-knowing; we’re not. He is all powerful; we’re not. He is perfect; we’re not. He is in heaven; we’re here on earth. For God to make us understand what He’s saying is like me trying to make my dog understand exactly what I’m saying.
Just as it takes familiarity with my voice and words for my dog to finally get what I’m saying, so it is with God. It takes ‘knowing His voice and what He’s saying’ for us to hear and understand.
Knowing His voice begins by knowing His character, which we will only learn from experience. When you’re in grief and you feel the comfort of God, then you begin to know Him as a comforting God. When you’re facing a financial crisis and God comes through with a financial blessing, then you begin to know Him as a rewarder. When you’re sick and He heals you, then you begin to know Him as a healer. When you’re going through a marital crisis and God restores your marriage, then you begin to know Him as a restorer.
However, it takes an open heart and a desire to know God for these experiences to become relevant. There are people who overcome financial, marital, health, or whatever crisis, without attributing anything to God. Thus, they don’t experience Him, and therefore will not know His voice.
This desire to know God and experience Him is the key that unlocks the door to hearing Him more. It’s almost like God’s heart is stirred up by our desire to know Him. It makes sense to me. I am more willing to reveal myself to someone who is interested in me, than to someone who’s not.
An open heart becomes very sensitive to everything around it. All of a sudden it feels God in the wind … sees God in the butterfly … hears God in the thunder. The colors of flowers become more vibrant and real. The chirping of birds echoes like a choir of angels singing. The eyes begin to see the swaying of the trees like hands giving glory to God.
I’m not talking about some experience induced by drugs, alcohol, or any additive. I’m talking about a real experience without any other substance. This purity brings about the real deal experience of God that stirs up the desire to know Him more, which leads to hearing and understanding Him.
A person can be in a church building or a temple and not hear the voice of God. He can be reading the Bible and not hear the voice of God. He can be at the top of a mountain and not hear the voice of God. He can be meditating and not hear the voice of God.
God is longing to reveal Himself to His creation, more so to us, His best creation. He has placed everything around us to make Himself known. Yet, without having an open heart, we will fail to see.
However, it takes an open heart and a desire to know God for these experiences to become relevant. There are people who overcome financial, marital, health, or whatever crisis, without attributing anything to God. Thus, they don’t experience Him, and therefore will not know His voice.
This desire to know God and experience Him is the key that unlocks the door to hearing Him more. It’s almost like God’s heart is stirred up by our desire to know Him. It makes sense to me. I am more willing to reveal myself to someone who is interested in me, than to someone who’s not.
An open heart becomes very sensitive to everything around it. All of a sudden it feels God in the wind … sees God in the butterfly … hears God in the thunder. The colors of flowers become more vibrant and real. The chirping of birds echoes like a choir of angels singing. The eyes begin to see the swaying of the trees like hands giving glory to God.
I’m not talking about some experience induced by drugs, alcohol, or any additive. I’m talking about a real experience without any other substance. This purity brings about the real deal experience of God that stirs up the desire to know Him more, which leads to hearing and understanding Him.
A person can be in a church building or a temple and not hear the voice of God. He can be reading the Bible and not hear the voice of God. He can be at the top of a mountain and not hear the voice of God. He can be meditating and not hear the voice of God.
God is longing to reveal Himself to His creation, more so to us, His best creation. He has placed everything around us to make Himself known. Yet, without having an open heart, we will fail to see.
“For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”
Romans 1:20
"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat."
Psalm 19:1-6
Have you sensed God in the things around you? Do you want to know Him more? Do you want to experience Him more? Do you want to hear His voice? And when you do, will you listen and follow what He tells you to do?
It all starts with an open heart, followed by a willingness to surrender.
It all starts with an open heart, followed by a willingness to surrender.
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LISA MAKI
Simplify to Intensify (c) 2019 |