Then + Now

originally posted on 1/17/2018

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Sometimes when I talk to someone about a decision that I need to make they often say some form of "Did you pray about it?" While that is great advice it's also, if we are honest, frustrating because sometimes we feel like God isn't listening or His inbox is full. But in reality, we could just not be listening for a response or even looking for a response. God can answer in any way, shape, or form.

But God doesn't talk to us the way that He used to talk to people. We see many places in the Bible where God used an audible voice to speak to people. This is why it can be very hard to hear Him.

THEN

In the book of Genesis, God actually walks and talks with Adam and Eve – daily [1].

God speaks to Moses from a burning bush. At the end of Genesis, we see everyone has come to Egypt because of a famine and Egypt had plenty of food because Joseph was there to help them be ready. (After all, Joseph went through, God had him right where he was supposed to be all along and he was able to save many people.) However, as time passed and a new Pharaoh came into power. This Pharaoh didn't know Joseph or care what Joseph had done. This new Pharaoh saw Israel (Hebrews) as a threat to Egypt because of their great number. So Pharaoh ordered that all of the baby boys be thrown in the Nile River and thus taking away the fighting men they would become. But Moses' life was saved and he was put in the Nile, in a basket, to later be found by Pharaoh's daughter and raised in the palace of Pharaoh. [2]

As Moses grew older, he began to realize that he wasn't an Egyptian - but a Hebrew (Israel). When he sees an altercation between an Egyptian and Hebrew, he sides with the Hebrew and kills the Egyptian, and buries him in the sand. Moses fears that what he did will become known and so he flees Egypt and we find him in a field watching sheep. [2]

He then sees a bush on fire and it's not burning up. He gets closer. Then out of the bush comes a voice.

“When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, 'Moses! Moses!' And Moses said, “Here I am.” 'Do not come any closer,' God said. 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.'"

Exodus 3:4-5 NIV

God then tells Moses to go to Egypt and free Israel from slavery. Moses has his excuses for why he can't or doesn't want to go. But he does go and free Israel with God's help.

But He doesn't talk that way now.

NOW

God speaks to us now primarily through the Bible. But He can also speak to us through Facebook, blog posts, movies, books, people, billboards, the radio, and songs. The source that God speaks through does not necessarily to be of religious nature! God is in everything and He is everywhere. If we go through the days with our ears eager to hear God’s voice – we will be able to hear it anywhere!

Here is a quick example to end this post. I was walking through work and the patients were reading the paper and other inspirational things for an activity. As I walked by the lady leading the activity says: "Oh, here's a good one - 'If God is for you - shouldn't you be for you?'" That just jumped out at me and I wrote it on a sticky note and stuck it, my computer monitor, in my office.

God is for me! And He is for you!

And once again - How can you hear God today or this week?

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[1] reference Genesis 3

[2] reference Genesis 37 - Exodus 3