Tidbits for Thought

VOICES

Mark 1;10-11 “As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Throughout the Bible we read magnificent words of prophecy, warnings, guidance and love. It seems as if God is not at all shy about speaking to His children, choosing many, many different methods. He spoke directly to Adam and Eve in the Garden. He spoke to Moses through the medium of a burning bush. He spoke to Elijah in the silence after the storm. He spoke through the voices of the prophets and other messengers. He spoke to the Disciples and others from the heavens, even though some dismissed the voice as thunder. He speaks today through the pages of Scripture and the quiet voice of the Spirit who lives within. One of the challenges of the Christian life is to be confident in the fact that God does speak to us on a regular basis, letting us know that we are not alone in a hostile universe. It is my humble opinion that God speaks to us in thousands of ways each and every day…. even if we don’t always recognize His voice. It is easy to feel disconnected from that reality when our days are consumed with deadlines, distractions and responsibilities that seem to never end. If we are not listening for His voice in some way or another, we are missing the chance to deepen our spiritual connection to His presence. If we are too busy to seek His voice, we are stunting our spiritual growth. On the other hand, when we attune our hearts and minds to be alert for His communication, our lives take on a new clarity and purpose with the directions coming directly from the Source. Prayer, Scripture, Creation, and the Holy Spirit are just some of the ways that God uses to communicate with His people today. Prayer is a conversation with God where we might receive a direct answer to the challenges that occur on a regular basis in life on a fallen world. Searching the pages of Scripture for God’s voice in the written word provides wisdom that surpasses human understanding and can open our minds to solutions that are clear and concise. The small feeling inside urging us to new heights of love, compassion, mercy and justice is more than likely the voice of the Spirit moving us closer to reflecting Jesus in our daily lives. Simply waking each morning to a beautiful dawn tells us that God is not through with us yet. Observing a humming bird flit around an open flower reminds us of the beauty and simplicity of His love. The gurgle and laughter of a baby assures us that God is alive and well. Every person is different and as such will hear God in his or her own way but by recognizing that God speaks in countless ways and is speaking each and every moment, believers can experience peace in a turbulent world and act with confidence, hope and clarity. Think about it!      ~ Aron Smith