The Means By Which God Reveals

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2019 4:01 pm Post subject: The Means By Which God Reveals

The Means By Which God Reveals

Scripture:

Now Moses fed the sheep of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Madian: and he drove the flock to the inner parts of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, Horeb. and the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he saw that the bush was on fire and was not burnt. And Moses said: I will go and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he went forward to see, he called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said: Moses, Moses. And he answered: Here I am. And he said: Come not nigh hither, put off the shoes from your feet: for the place whereon you stand is holy ground.

And he said: I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses hid his face: for he durst not look at God. And the Lord said to him: I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of the rigor of them that are over the works: And knowing their sorrow, I am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians, and to bring them out of that land into a good and spacious land, into a land that flows with milk and honey.

Moses said to God: Lo, I shall go to the children of Israel, and say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you. If they should say to me: What is his name? What shall I say to them? God said to Moses: I AM WHO AM. He said: Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: HE WHO IS, has sent me to you. And God said again to Moses: Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you: This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
(Exodus 3:1-8A, 13-15)

For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud, and in the sea: And did all eat the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink; (and they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.) But with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the desert. Now these things were done in a figure of us, that we should not covet evil things as they also coveted.

Neither do you murmur: as some of them murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them in figure: and they are written for our correction, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore he that thinks himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall.
(1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 1012)

And there were present, at that very time, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answering, said to them: Think you that these Galileans were sinners above all the men of Galilee, because they suffered such things? No, I say to you: but unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower fell in Siloe, and slew them: think you, that they also were debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem? No, I say to you; but except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.

He spoke also this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. And he said to the dresser of the vineyard: Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it done therefore: why cumber it the ground? But he answering, said to him: Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig about it, and dung it. And if happily it bear fruit: but if not, then after that you shall cut it down.
(Luke 13:1-9)

Reflection:

God endeavors to speak to us through many means. He has sent His angels and His prophets. Some have listened to them, but even more do not. God has spoken directly to some, but for those who have not heard His voice in their ears, they must still discern to whom has God truly spoken and who makes claims from delusion?

If we do not hear, to what senses do we turn? If we do not see, to what senses do we turn? If we do not feel, to what senses do we turn? Indeed, we might ask, how might we experience the One who seeks to communicate to our heart, spirit, and soul? If we do not sense from these elements of ourselves, how then, might we experience Him?

There is so much in our experience we do not comprehend, but as we endeavor in our observations, we learn to discern that which surrounds us. As we proceed in life, we discover so many ways we misperceive or are deceived by the world. As we mature, we learn means to recognize illusions and falsehoods, but the struggle to discern between that which is true and that which is deception remains our daily challenge.

Through the scriptures, many lessons are revealed to us. We observe the stories of the faithful and the faithless. We observe how God has worked through kings and servants; those blessed with power and those blessed without the temptations of power. Some have heard His voice. Some have spoken with His messengers, but blessed are those astute enough to see His message written within their lives.

We need not travel far to find Him, though it is good to make pilgrimages through which we may exercise and strengthen our spirit. We need only look at His creation to observe the beauty and majesty of His design. If we listen within our heart, we will sense His gentle whisper. If we observe the events of our lives, we will see the times He works to nudge us to what is good and away from what is evil. Let us, then, with humility, take His hand and allow Him to lead us away from evil passions and harmful behaviors so He may lead us to the blessings of His ways; for as we observe His ways, we shall share the blessings of His love.

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways do we observe God revealing Himself to us and speaking to us?

In what ways do we complain and expect God to correct that which is in our power to address?

In what ways do we turn a blind eye to our weaknesses and our failings?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier