Good morning everyone
(My apologies to those in the Euro-Pacific zone for the late publication today. I went in early and sleep reminded me that I am human. then my mobile died, so I needed to find the laptop. But we’re up and going now, so …) Have you ever read a portion of Scripture and been completely shocked at the behaviour of the people then, and wondered ‘how could they’? Today’s Holy Nougat had that effect on me a few times.
“So they said to Moses, “You, speak to us, and we will listen, but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.”” Exodus 20:19 TLV
This sounds preposterous doesn’t it. Yet, so many of us are guilty of wanting someone else to interpret Scripture for us, to get a Word from God for us, or to speak with God on our behalf despite making the commitment to God for ourselves.
And no, I am not talking about devotionals – though some of us don’t entertain other perspectives, and take the other person’s thoughts lock, stock and barrel – I am speaking about those of us who don’t actually read the Bible for ourselves, and only used to open it (whether the paper version or the ones on the device) when we went to church. Now that church is online, I don’t know whether we actually read the Bible for ourselves or think about it beyond those moments of trying to be engaged while completing other tasks.
Nothing is wrong with prophecy, especially if the prophecy comes from God, although some of us still check our horoscopes, go seek out the services of a revivalist to guide our movements. I can remember when I used to read the Bible for myself, but relied on others to ‘get a Word from God’ for me. (In Jamaica, we sometimes say folks get their ‘Holy Ghost read-up’ because there are folks who visited the revivalists or the indigenous priests for a ‘read-up’ of the root of their problems). For I was convinced that those anointed with the gift of prophecy would have a better, clearer ‘Word’ for me from God.
My dear, I wish to assure each of us that if we really desire to hear from God, there is no sin so great that would block our access to God.Because God truly desires to speak with us, to be in positive relationship with us, speaking as friend with friend. Don’t take my word for it – read Acts 9, it’s the story of Saul’s conversion. A conversion so dramatic, even his name was changed. Or read Genesis 4, which speaks to Cain negotiating with God, having just killed his brother. Better yet, read the Gospels, it is replete with narratives about ordinary and important people like you and I, some of whom Jesus went out of His way to ensure that He met them and had conversations about them. Hagar, trapped in a bad employer-employee relationship met God, and named God, ‘the God Who sees me’. I assure each of us today, God not only sees each of us, but God desires to speak with us directly.
Please, do not misunderstand me. God seriously does not like sin. God does not wish for any of us to disobey, miss the mark or deliberately go outside of God’s will for our lives. And it pains God when we do so. Especially since it is rare for our actions to impact us only. And sin DOES lead to death: spiritual death away from God’s presence. But in Christ, we have access to Living Water that restores, renews and replaces death IN sin with Eternal Life IN and THROUGH Christ.
God’s speaking to or with us might convict us of sins we have committed, but is not going to be the cause of our death!
With that being said, might I urge us to establish our own relationship with God through Reading God’s Word, Prayer, and Fellowshipping with others who believe. Moreover, for those who are so inclined, let’s use a bit of the festive season to thank God for a love so great that God became one of us, to ensure that we know that God IS with us – our Friend, Our Refuge, Our Father-Mother, our Saviour, our Brother, our All-in-All.
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
