home > Pastor’s Desk > 2023 > March 24th > Our Communicating God

Here’s the thing for me; there have been many times I have wished or prayed that God would write His will on the wall for me. I don’t mean to be demanding – I would happily make it a question so all He needs to give me is a simple “yes” or “no”. That would suffice! But funnily enough, God has never done this for me.

In Daniel 5, King Belshazzar used the golden vessels taken from the temple of God to feast, drink wine and praise the “gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone” (Daniel:5 4). If we read on in Daniel 5, the next verse tells us that something dramatic happened immediately.

Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote.
Daniel 5:5

The King immediately called for enchanters and astrologers to read and interpret the writing, but none of them could. So Daniel was brought in and, unlike the others, he was able to both read and interpret the writing. Belshazzar had not honoured God or humbled his heart, and Daniel told him that God had numbered the days of his rule. That very night King Belshazzar was killed.

There’s so much we can learn from this passage in Daniel.  Unfortunately one of the takeaways is not that God guides us by writing His will on a wall. 

There are people who claim to hear from God regularly. I’m sure some of them do, but others I question. Many so-called prophets prophesied that Donald Trump would be returned to power in the 2019 US election. “Prophets” assured us Jesus would come to rapture us in the 70s and then, when He didn’t, we were definitely being raptured in the 80s. Some even gave specific dates. Many leaders have been declared by “prophets” to be the antichrist. I’m sure you would have heard some bizarre prophecies over the years.

I believe with all my heart that we serve a communicating God! I’m so grateful that God speaks and communicates with us. But, in the up and down and reality of our life, we sometimes become confused as to the ways God speaks, or how we can hear Him. Let’s consider a few ways that God does speak.

I would suggest that God primarily speaks through Scripture – which we often call the “Word of God” (there’s a hint!).

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105

God may not make a habit of writing on the wall for us, but He has given us an incredible gift – the Bible, a collection of 66 books, written by over 40 different authors over a span of approximately 1500 years, all inspired by the Holy Spirit! It can speak to us, reveal His heart, and give encouragement, correction and direction. Many of us have multiple copies of the Bible in our homes, and we have access to God’s Word on our phones and smart devices. We can read it, listen to it, and hold it. What a wonderful blessing, and one that is so easy to take for granted. Literally, to hear from God, all we have to do is to pick it up and read it!

There are many other ways God speaks to us, although some are a little more subjective.

God speaks to us through creation.

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.
Psalm 19:1-2

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

God sometimes speaks to us through circumstances in our lives. This is one where we need wisdom and to be cautious in leaping too quickly to conclusions. God can open and close doors before us, or reveal His nature, faithfulness and grace through the things we go through.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Genesis 50:20

God reveals Himself through our church family – our brothers and sisters. Many years ago, in the midst of a very difficult situation, I decided to see every expression of love from friends and family as a personal gift from God. It opened my eyes to see and experience God’s love and grace in beautiful ways through others. It’s a practise I’ve tried to continue. Just this week we received the gift of a meal (including the ingredients to make decadent banana splits!). I was so grateful to the giver – but also to the Lord for His love and care for us. Others can encourage and build us up as they remind us of what God has written and said in His Word. God can speak through the gifts He gives others and the expression of those – teaching is a wonderful example! I’m sure we have all heard from God through the preaching of His Word.

Along with our Bible, one of clearest ways God speaks to us is through His Son, Jesus.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.
Hebrews 1:2-3

Like me, when facing decisions or needing direction, you may sometimes wish that God would literally write on the wall. But I also hope that you can join me in being grateful that our communicating God speaks to us through His Word and through Jesus! Praise God that we have ready access to both through the Bible.

Let me close with the words of Amy Boucher Pye, in a post “How to Pray with the Bible”:

The Bible’s story of God and His people is one of intimacy and communication. The unreachable, unknowable God reaches down and makes Himself known. God, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, has also given us the Bible, limiting His words to a level we can understand. Our Creator meets us with grace and love in a form we can grasp. Jesus the Word fills the pages of Scripture with His acts of grace and redemption.
https://annvoskamp.com/2021/09/how-to-pray-with-the-bible/

Amen.

Your Care Team Pastor,

Donna.

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