Is God Silent?

Is God Silent?

Often we say to ourselves that we are waiting to hear from God, or perhaps we're just "praying on it," and waiting for The Lord to speak. This is highly admirable, I mean, who would want to make a move without God's favor, without His direction? No one wants to move before the Lord speaks. But I pose a query... Is God Silent? 

Are we sure that The Lord hasn't spoken to us already? Better yet, could he be speaking to us even now? We understand that God is not human. He no longer roams the earth in human form touching, tasting, feeling, smelling, SPEAKING, with us on a fleshly level. He has ascended back to Glory and resumed his strictly Spiritual contact regimen with mankind. So what does this mean? It's simple. God is not going to make a pair of lips materialize out of the clear blue and shout directions at you. When he speaks it will be a Spiritual communication, so in order to hear Him, you're going to have to bypass your "mind" and listen with your spirit man.

Truth is, The Lord never ceases to speak to us. The conversation only seems intermittent because we are seldom in the right "state of spirit" to recognize his direction. The Lord guides us  through thoughts, and ideas. Through trials, tribulation and adversity. He speaks through situations and circumstances, constantly bringing to our remembrance those things he's taught us through his word.

We all want fire to fall from the sky to confirm God's approval. We'd find comfort in hearing a thunderous chorus of harmonic excellence, telling us audibly, "thus and so." However, the bible paints a very different picture of God's dialoging with man. In 1Kings 19: 11-12, God's voice is described as such, 

¹¹ And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

¹² And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after 

the fire a still small voice.

The Lord was in the small, still voice. Unfortunately, this voice is often drowned out by the boisterous cry of our doubts and our fears. It is muffled by our resistance to change and gagged by the echoes of our painful past. In short, our minds wont shut up long enough to allow our spirit to hear what thus saith The Lord.

Could it be that The Lord has been speaking all along, but since it didn't come in the tone we were expecting to hear, we just ignored His voice? I read a story once about a man who was stranded at sea, with nothing but a small raft to keep him afloat. A man came by on a speed boat and offered him a ride, but the man responded, "No thanks, I'm waiting on the Lord to rescue me!" A second man came by on a fishing boat and again offered him a lift. The man responded once again, "No thanks, I'm waiting on the Lord." Finally, the captain of a cruise ship stopped and offered the man a luxurious ride to shore. Still the man persisted, "No thanks, I will wait on The Lord." Eventually, the man's raft gave out, and he was too exhausted to swim any longer. The man drowned and died in the middle of the sea. When he went before God for his final judgement, he questioned God with great disappointment asking, "Lord, I had perfect faith that you would save me. Why did you let me down?" The Lord answered the man saying, "I sent you two boats and a cruise ship! What more did you want me to do!?"

My point is this, Let's say, Hypothetically, You fall in love with someone as a kid. You even prophecy to yourself that this is the person you are going to marry. You lose contact, end up on different sides of the world. Grow up, get married, have kids..etc. You never even consider cheating on your spouse, but you guys somehow wind up together anyway, both divorced. They make mistakes, and as much as you want to, you cant hate them. You still end up back together. You make mistakes, but as much as they want to, they cant hate you. You still end up back together. Each time you see the person, no matter how much time has elapsed, (sometimes decades) its as though nothing has changed at all. As though the glorious marriage you described in your childhood diary was penned only yesterday. 

Not only that, but honestly, the two of you are still in love. Perhaps even more than before. Are you equally yoked? Absolutely! like to peas in a pod. Is it what God would have for you? Well let's see... They are saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Spirit, and most importantly they love you. Also... you love them. 

Hmmm? How loud must your "mind" be shouting thoughts of doubt, fear and worry in order to  completely drown out the conversation God has been trying to have with you for nearly 20 years? Hypothetically, of course! ;-) 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying don't pray on it. Quite the contrary, pray hard! all I'm saying is, while you're waiting for your answer and constantly bombarding The Lord with your multitude of questions, be sure to ask yourself one question as well.... 

Is God Silent?

The Wow Factor

“Okay, so what’s the Wow for?” She asks, staring curiously. I turn toward her completely unprepared to answer; in fact, I hadn’t even realized I said it aloud. Now here we were… chilling. I’m affectionately cruising with my fingertips, the foot or so of goose bumps between her wrist and the bend of her elbow. The conversation is excellent; silly, flirtatious… smooth. The atmosphere is mellow, low-light, cool temperature, warm colors. Man I’ve been waiting for this moment all week! I have no plans to advance from my position. I’m not setting up for the kill, I’m just genuinely happy to be in her presence… I really did miss her.

Why did I say Wow? I mean right then… Wow? Why would I say that? I wanted to answer her honestly… but realized that the answer was more complex than I was mentally equipped to explain. There were so many Wow Factors operating at precisely that moment, trying to categorize and verbalize them would have made me look as desperate as I already felt.

Let’s examine the Wow factor.

The first W.O.W.= Wondering Our Wishes. I mean I know what I want, but how, if at all, does it line up with her desired end to this thing. Our situation has been so complicated, so stressful, so weird that I want to make this experience as simplistic as possible for her. No complex boundaries or abstract concepts of obligation, just me, being here for her… in whatever capacity she needs me, for as long as she needs me… period. But that doesn’t in any way change the fact that she dictates my every thought, monopolizes my imagination and controls my future like play-do. If she’s got plans for me tomorrow, my plans for the day after tomorrow get canceled just incase I’m able to convince her to stay longer. And that brings me to the next WOW…

WOW= Whipped Or Wacko? Why in the world am I suddenly so unable to suppress my deep admiration? Why can’t I be like normal guys masking their feelings with pure bravado and immature waiting games, like the 3-day rule before calling. Why does it seem like the more you like a person… the less they like you? Seriously? Is it just me? When I was pretending like I could care less, every non-chalant gesture I made was immediately combated with a reassuring act of devotion and undying faithfulness. Now every kiss makes me as nervous as the first and seems as fleeting as the last. I can’t tell rather my compliments are being treasured or tolerated. Have I become the friend that’s unaware his permanent residence is in the friend zone? Is she just banking on my scarcely implemented ability to eventually take a hint? And when I’m finally relaxed enough to take a breath…

WOW= Why Overly Worried? I mean it is what it is right? And what will be will be. I guess I’m just

Waiting On When the Woman Of  Wonder decides Will  Our Worlds exist With Or Without each other romantically.  Till then, I’m just Walking On Water (going in faith).  Um… When’s Our Wedding?... did I just type that aloud?..... WOW!

So when she asks, “Why the Wow?” I say…. “Just thinking, that’s all!”

A Mile Away

I carefully calculated each move, cautious… cognitive. Like a lion in pre-pounce position upon a bed of dry leaves amidst his preoccupied prey. Mentally locked in on my target, however, eyes purposely wondering as to divert attention from my intention.  A concoction of adrenaline and nervousness is being served with a side of recklessness and fed to the silver back gorilla who’s obviously trapped in my chest cavity. (BOOM BOOM! BOOM BOOM! BOOM BOOM!)

Patiently awaiting a breach in the mundane that I could justify as occasion to advance. Wait a minute… this might be it!…… She’s smiling! She’s coming closer! She hugs me! She’s….. leaving? I’m such and idiot! Man, (sigh) if procrastination is the thief of time, uncertainty is the hardened assassin of opportunity. As the distance between her car keys and ignition grow shorter, I quietly conjure a recovery operative. I’m thinking to myself… “there’s still time to salvage my hope of escaping the friend zone.” But I must act now!

Okay this is it, the long anticipated introduction of rubber and road. Let’s focus baby… like a concentration boost in my jamba juice. I speak, “Um… wah… wait, hold up a sec!” She turns, (giggling) “Yes?” Think quick bro! “Oh ah, your necklace… is that a Tiffany?” She stops, “Ummm… yeah.” Excellent. Not only did she stop, but by pretending to examine her bling, I’ve advanced to prime positioning for my strike. Think about it. Her chain fashionably fastened to her neck, and my hands all over it. The only thing that stands between my location and my objective is a cute little chin…. I’m a genius.

Here we go! Eyes closed, thrust and kiss…. Wow!... I did it, I actually did it. I mean yeah, it lasted all of 0.5 seconds and our mouths were closed, BUT STILL, she has been kissed.

Awaiting her reaction sort of feels like bracing myself in an underground bunker for the imminent impact of a bomb I personally saw deployed. Alright… I’m ready for it… what’s the verdict? My anticipation is being tortured by silence and calm. And finally she leaves. Yeah! You heard me…. She just leaves. Smiling softly, right before she closes her car door and disappears in the after glow of white reverse and red brake lights she says…. “I saw that coming from a mile away.”