So when something comes up that requires a decision, how do
we determine what God would want for us to do?
The simple bumper-sticker concept of What Would Jesus Do seems a bit
insufficient. After all, the sentiment
is good, but it leaves open the interpretation and still does not directly
answer our question. The first place to
turn is usually the Bible. It offers
excellent advice on many topics, however, for decisions that result from a
modern age, you would have to have studied the Bible enough to interpret the
values it espouses to our current situations.
Again the interpretation of scripture is sometimes subjective, and can
lead one to follow the desires of their own heart anyway, rather than seeking
an objective answer, a danger we all face.
Since God created nature (His first book if you will) people
sometimes examine how nature functions and try to interpolate an answer for
their given situation. However, even
nature is currently cursed by sin. Were
it still pure, the animal kingdom would be dining on hay, rather than have
formed a dog-eat-dog, or little-fish-gets-eaten-by-big-fish dogma. Nature still offers answers but is also a
silent instructor.
After exhausting the best direct vehicles for learning what
God wants, humans tend to seek council from each other. At least another human is capable of
understanding our issues and fully capable of offering advice in an audible understandable
format. It seems wise to seek the advice
of a ‘learned spiritual counselor’ as people who appear to have studied
religious things for a long time might have a better knowledge of God. If the person whose council you seek seems
very passionate about God, perhaps they truly do know him better. This approach is not to be condemned, but it
should send up a small warning flag for us.
We need to ask the question of ourselves, do I seek another more
spiritual person’s advice because I do not trust my own connection with God in
this matter, or because my own connection does not exist at all? A ‘second’ opinion or ‘third’ opinion is an
excellent thing, but it should not be taking the place of a ‘first’ opinion.
God is fully capable of speaking directly to each of
us. His methods vary by our willingness
to listen. When we pray for example, do
we pose our questions, and then remain silent listening for an answer, or do we
so quickly move on with our next request, leaving Him no time to respond. The Holy Spirit, the third part of the
Godhead, is in our world today. He is
our comforter. Part of His role is to
facilitate our prayers to heaven and the communication back to us in ways we
can understand. Have you ever heard a
sermon, or musical song that praises God, or listened to someone who was simply
on-fire for God? Do their words, or
song, move you? How so? In my own case, the hairs on the back of my
neck stand up. I get cold chills from
the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.
This physical phenomenon is a personal indicator to me that the words I
am hearing are true, and of God. If I am
unsure of the source of my physical manifestation, I pray the quick prayer, “in
Jesus name, where do you come from”. If
it is not of God, it disappears immediately.
But that is not usually the case I have come to know.
In the old testament, the children of Israel faced decisions
for which there was no written word to answer.
They did not always have Moses to tell them what God wanted. And therefore the high priest wore a
breastplate with 2 different gem stones.
One stone for yes, and one stone for no.
When they posed a question to God, either the yes or no stone glowed from
within so brightly the outcome was not in doubt. Why not have God just speak to them
directly? He tried this. After coming out of Egypt the entire camp
prepared to hear the voice of the Lord directly themselves. They cleaned up for 3 days, preparing. On the selected day, when the Lord began
speaking, it sounded like a combination of trumpets, tornadoes, and
thunder. All were stricken with fear
that prostrated them face down in the dirt (so much for cleanliness), but in
spite of their fear, some began to stand and recite the words of Lord, as they
began to understand what He was saying.
You see our sin blinds us to the words of our God, but His patience is
greater than our demise. His love is
more tender than our degradation. And
despite our condition of terminal sin, He reaches out to us still and still
today talks directly to all who will listen.
God is not mute. Why
would He be? He desperately cares about
each of us, not just in whether we choose to follow Him or not, but in the
course of our daily lives. He cares
about the little things we encounter, like finding that parking space, or
missing set of car keys. Yes, the
creator of the Universe will gladly make time to help you find the car keys you
misplaced last night when you came home, cause “you need to get to work now”. Talk about a sense of humor – “YOU” need to
get to work – don’t you think God might be a little tied up, what with running
the entire Universe and answering the pleading prayers of millions of those who
cry out? – but no, wait a minute, you lost your car keys and now need Gods help
finding them. The irony of this
situation (which creates the humor for me) is that God does take time just for
you. He really does help you find those
missing little car keys. That is how much
He cares about you. That is the priority
He places on you, you personally. You
mean that much to Him. Thinking that God
remains silent when you ask Him something of great importance is crazy when we
sit back and realize how many little things he does for us all the time.
Don’t get me wrong, cold chills and a still small voice are
not a replacement for the Bible.
Physical manifestation of God’s response to our questions is not
designed to undo His work in our lives through reading of His word, or studying
his book of nature. The physical
manifestations (whatever they may be to you personally) should only add or
clarify His earlier instruction, not replace it. The Bible is very self explanatory in most
cases. And one key principle we have
already discussed from a purely logical perspective is that God does not change
the character of who He is. When God
issues a directive He seldom undoes it.
The idea of “not stealing” for example, is a partial definition of how
to love someone else. Obviously just not
stealing from another person, does not mean you completely know how to love
them – but it is a start. This concept
will not be undone, because you get cold chills when thinking about stealing
from your bank. That is not God telling
you it is OK to go against His principles, that is Satan tempting you to ignore
what you know already.
But sometimes the physical answer from God can help us out
when the way is unclear. And sometimes
when it is silent, it should cause us to re-examine the question we pose and
see if our either-or scenario is not too limiting for what God actually intends
for us. Our version of yes-or-no is not
always so complete a response from the perspective of an infinite God. I love the Lord for many reasons, but one is
most assuredly that He hears my pitiful requests for help, and that He despite
my horrid condition of sin, answers me both in His word, in his creation, and
through a personal physical phenomenon that reminds me of His love. I praise Him for this tender care and
personal response …
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