God did speak directly to a few in the Bible, but considering the thousands of years of human history, these events were few and not always pleasant. Moses had to lead the complaining Israelites (Exodus 3:14), Hosea had to marrying a woman of ill repute (Hosea 1:1), Job found out how insignificant he was (Job 40:1), and Paul was struck blind (Acts 22). God may speak audibly to some today, but if history repeats itself (and it does), this would be the exception, not the rule. And it doesn’t happen as often as people would have you believe.
However, God is the great communicator and at no time in history has he remained silent. He speaks to us just as he always has – through…
- His Word – The Bible is written for our instruction, training, correction, and edification. (2 Timothy 3:16,17)
- Creation – We see God’s greatness in his creation. (Romans 1:20)
- Events – Through trials God may be saying, “Learn patience.” Through celebrations he may be saying, “Do not forget me in the good times.” (James 1:2-5)
- Prayer – Prayer is two-way communication. We ask and God answers. (James 1:5) However God does not always give us the answer we want to hear.
- Our Conscience – Sometimes an inner voice tells us not to do something. (1 Peter 3:16)
- Meditation – Slow down. Be still so you can hear God. (Psalm 46:10)
- Others – Friends can be closer than family at times and a wise man seeks counsel before making decisions. (Proverbs 18:24; Proverbs 11:14)
- And so on…
Sometimes we are so intent in looking for a special sign or revelation that we miss what God says to us daily. The magnificent becomes mundane so we don’t hear what God says through a vibrant sunset, a child’s laughter, a new born baby, ripples in a brook, a field of flowers, a hug from your spouse, a cautious admonition from a close friend, or a scripture we’ve read a hundred times that finally has profound meaning.
God doesn’t always tell us what we want to hear, but he always tells us what is best for us. What he says will always draw us closer into a relationship with him.
