How does God speak? It’s a question that might have been asked by several Bible characters. God speaks in many languages, through some strange sources and in some strange ways.
When we were members of the great Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Ft. Worth, Texas, while my husband Steve was attending seminary, some strange things and some humorous occurrences arose out of the church’s massive bus ministry. The buses ran all over town, bringing both children and adults to church every Sunday morning. Many of the riders had never been inside a church before and didn’t know “church-ese” nor did they adhere to the normal decorum.
Responding in faith
One Sunday morning, a woman came forward responding to the invitation. It was evident she was not a normal churchgoer. The pastor asked, “How are you coming this morning?”
“I came on that big ol’ bus out there.”
Realizing he needed to address her in simpler terms, the pastor then asked, “Did you come to ask Christ into your heart today?”
“I shore did.”
“Well, let’s pray and ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins and to come live in your heart.”
“I ‘done done’ that a while ago when you told us to bow our heads and pray that prayer and ask Him.”
“What did the Lord say then?”
Without missing a smack of her gum, she boldly and loudly said, “He said Okey Dokey.” Her smile and countenance confirmed her answer was true.
Never underestimate God
We never need to underestimate who God will speak through nor through what means He will get our attention. So many interesting times the Bible reports such incidents.
If I were a preacher, I would preach a series of sermon about these, but I’m not. Instead, I will give you the essence of a few of such happenings: God speaking through a donkey, by putting a man’s hip out of joint, having His voice come from a burning bush and by striking a man blind and speaking through the bright light:
Balaam and his donkey — Numbers 22:28 And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? and he said, Nay. 31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. 32 And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: 33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. 34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. 35 And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
Jacob wrestles with God — Genesis 32:21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. 22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. 23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Moses and the burning bush — Exodus 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Saul struck blind — Acts 26:12Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
How does God speak to you? It probably isn’t through an audible voice, but if you are sensitive to Him, you may hear Him through reading the Bible, through a sermon or circumstances. He cares about you and your needs. Talk to him daily and pray about everything. He hears you and will answer, but perhaps it won’t be in the way you expect.
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