Unique & Sure

I made an interesting discovery of how God speaks, during this afternoon’s bible study. The first point spoke very strongly & I believe it to be very true in my life.

Based on scripture, I learnt that 2 things take place when God speaks:

1) When God spoke, it was usually unique to that individual.

For example, Moses didn’t have any precedent experience with the burning bush, so that he could say, “Oh, this is my burning bush experience! My fathers, Abraham, Isaac & Jacob had theirs… & this is mine!” There were no other experiences which revealed God speaking in this way, anywhere else in the Bible.

This was a unique experience that is also personal, so that Moses can hear God’s voice & experience an encounter with Him. This also shows that God wants us to look to Him in a relationship, rather than depend on some method or technique.

If Moses had been around today, he would have been tempted to write a book about ‘My Burning Bush Experience’. This happens so often by people nowadays who write books based on their own experience, urging people to follow their methods to gaining success, etc. If Moses had really done that, then people all over the world would go all out trying to find their own burning bush!

The problem lies in that people misunderstand, misinterpret & go to far extents to dispute & justify how God speaks, rather than the actual importance of the fact that God spoke to that individual. Prove it based on scripture, definitely is important, but not against perception & personal judgment.

2) When God spoke, the person was sure God was speaking.

It is precisely because God speaks in a manner that is unique to each individual, that’s why we would know that it is Him speaking. When God speaks to us, we can only testify about it, for it is not about logically trying to prove that God spoke, but rather leaving it to God because only He can convince & convict the hearts & minds of people to know that the word came from Him.

Today’s bible study ended with a song from the soundtrack ‘Experiencing God’ titled ‘When the silence breaks’. Some of the lyrics are very meaningful…

When the Silence Breaks

When I seek God in the morning
I feel like I am free
From all the restless voices
Calling out to me
Surrounded by the silence
I surrender to the truth
That to live where I can listen
Is all He calls me to

I want to hear the voice of God
No matter what it takes
I wanna be weak enough to listen
And strong enough to wait
It’s not enough to know He’s speaking
I wanna hear what He has to say
So I’m standing in the shadow
Living where the silence breaks

I can hear Him in the pages
Revealing hidden truths
Old verses with new answers
For what I’m going through
Like water to the thirsty
His word is life to me
I don’t want to miss the moments
When he is calling me

It may be a whisper in the wilderness
A comfort in the pain
It may sound like roaring thunder
Or maybe like a gentle rain

Written by: Lowell Alexander, Dave Clark, Phil Naish & Tony Wood