A couple of days ago, the news reported that an eleven year old girl had been found after 4 days wandering in a swamp. The man that found her said that God was speaking to Him as he was led to finding her. What a joyful ending. He gave God credit for speaking to him and she was found unharmed.
Can God really speak? If so, how does He speak? What does He have to say? Does He speak to you? It is inconceivable to me that God, who put the clouds in the sky; and who filled the ocean with fish; would not be able to speak. In fact God has spoken to mankind in various ways throughout history. It is God's instruction that gives us direction for our lives. His Word gives us hope when we most need it. But yet, many people would be hesitant to say that God has spoken to them personally. Perhaps God is speaking to them, but they just don't realize it.
In the passage above, the writer makes it clear that God spoke to the fathers in the past in many different ways. If we study the Old Testament we know that He manifested His Word through dreams, visions, and face to face. Today God is still speaking to His people in various ways. Through Jesus Christ, we are able to understand God in some of those same ways, and yet even other ways as well. Perhaps He speaks to us in a dream. Perhaps He speaks with a still voice in our quiet times. Perhaps it is through circumstances in our lives. He definitely speaks to us from the Bible. He speaks to us though preachers, teachers, and wise counselors. God uses Godly parents to get His message to us.
When we pray to God, we should be eager to hear from God. I know He speaks to me. Sometimes I may not be a good listener. But that is my fault, not His.
I am reminded of the television commercial which endorses cell phones. A little boy asked the question, "can you hear me now?" If you have not heard God speaking to you, you may not be listening? Can you hear Him now?
