Does God Still Speak?

photo by hayespdx / flickr

"The...words that God speaks to us in our own lives are the real miracles.  They are not miracles that create faith as we might think that a message written in the stars would create faith, but they are miracles that it takes faith to see--faith in the sense of openness, faith in the sense of willingness to wait, to watch, to listen, for the incredible presence of God here in the world among us."
  --Frederick Buechner, "Message in the Stars", 
       The Magnificent Defeat

Yesterday I posted a blog post about a pastor that said he heard God speak to him on the eve of Christmas and told him to change his Christmas Eve sermon. He was instructed to revise the Ten Commandments.

I don’t want to talk about this preacher—but I do want to talk about hearing God speak. Deep in my heart I believe God speaks to most of us—if not all—through the still, small voice that Isaiah talked about. Not in the earthquake or the fire—nothing spectacular—which I believe was what the temptations of Jesus was all about. No. God comes to most of us if not all in a whisper that we can easily miss if we are not careful.

But one of my favorite stories of God’s speaking is the Preacher in Kentucky that came to the Deacon’s meeting years ago. True story. It was the day before air conditioning was not everywhere and the preacher wanted his church air-conditioned. So, sitting in a circle he told the Deacons that night that God had spoken to him and told him that they ought to air condition the church. There was a great silence around the room. And then one old crotchety Deacon spoke: “Well, we ain’t gonna do it. God has not spoke to me about air conditioning and until he does—there won’t be no air conditioning in this church.” And The Deacons said the Benediction and went home.

And anytime I hear some Preacher, especially tells us what God has told him—I remember that story. 

                              --RogerLovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com