Finding the Word of God Alive

 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

 

In 2002 (over two decades ago), the Christian Recording group Mercy Me released a song titled, Word of God Speak. I found it a powerful prayer song as I would cry out to God over life’s challenges.

 

The words of the chorus say this:

Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You’re in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

Mercy Me 2002

 

Humanity is in a very strange and challenging time. I read a passage (that began the dialogue that turned into this post) that speaks to humanity’s time in 2024. I will unfold it in next week’s post.

 

But, as I began thinking about how to put it down on (electronic) paper, God the Holy Spirit took me down a rabbit hole, bringing me back to the song.

 

I believe it is safe to say that you do not go around having audible conversations with God. I talk to him audibly (alone), but my natural ears have never heard him speak.

 

I understand when God speaks to me through a lifetime of walking with him.

 

However, I have also come to understand God speaking to me through his Word—such as the passage I mentioned earlier.

 

I realized it is second nature to me because of the length of time I have walked with God.

 

But what about someone just getting started? How do you hear God speak to you?

 

I remember when God told me to go down to the car dealership, walk around this brand-new car (that I really liked), place my hands on it, and claim it as mine.

 

I obeyed—after hours when no one was there.

 

I do not recall how many years ago that was, but needless to say, I never owned the car.

 

So, did I hear God speak to me? Or, did I give God the credit when my imagination conjured up images of me owning that car?

 

The answer is the latter. My imagination gave God credit for saying something my lustful desires wanted.

 

How do you tell the difference?

 

Part of it is trial and error; the learning curve teaches us the difference between what is real and what is imaginary.

 

In this case, it was imaginary that God spoke to me about the car.

 

Here is how you tell the difference.

 

The chorus of the song says, would you pour down like rain?

 

Rain is a cleansing element in nature. Scientists say that the air is freshest after a rain. The reason is that rain captures the pollutants in the air and hurls them to the ground.

 

God desires to clean the air so your mind is fresh and ready to receive what he says.

 

That may sound nice, but how does it happen?

 

It happens when you let go of what you want from God and focus on loving him instead.

 

There is another song by a friend of mine, Roger Thrower, that says,

 

You,

I worship you

Not your blessings

Not your power

Not your glory

Not your grace,

But you,

Lord, I need you.

 

 

Rain signifies refreshing, and coming before God means letting the rain wash away the pollutants in your life.

 

In his letter to the Ephesian Christ-followers, the Apostle Paul speaks about husbands and wives, comparing them to Christ and his church.

 

In one place, he says that Jesus will sanctify and cleanse the church by the washing of the water of the Word.

 

Therefore, the written Word of God will act as rain to wash and set us apart for Christ.

 

This is why a daily diet of the Word of God is vital for a Christ-follower.

 

The remaining lines of the Mercy Me song speak to that.

 

Wash my eyes

 

To be still and know

 

Let me stay and rest.

 

This speaks to letting go of what you want to find what HE wants.

 

The Psalmist David tells us to:

 

Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Psalms 37:4 The Living Bible

In other words, when your delight is in the Lord (not the brand-new car), he will place desires in your heart that he will give you.

So, finding the Word of God alive means allowing the Word of God to wash you clean of your (hidden or known) selfish, self-centered wants and desires so you can find HIS answers.

 

A close personal relationship with the Godhead provides you a living hope. It is a living anticipation full of expectation of something good happening.

 

 

A close personal relationship with the Godhead is a journey. I invite you to follow along. As I learn, I will pass it along so you, too, can learn. I hope that as you learn, you can pass it along so that I (and others) might learn.