Vox Dei

You probably wondered why I didn't start the "voices we need to hear" series with this one. You knew it was coming sooner or later, I simply chose "later." Indeed if you listen carefully, you can pick out some of the voice of God in the other voices I've mentioned and a thousand I didn't. Evangelicals get a bit squeamish when you start talking about hearing the voice of God anywhere other than scripture. I understand, it opens the door for the unorthodox, weird, sentimental, irrational, too rational, gooey, goofy, heretical voices to jump in. Its a chance I took. I haven't grown any horns yet, heck, I can't even grow hair. Hebrews, chapter one, verses one and two declare that "in the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe." God's ultimate, final, most complete speaking to man was\is through Jesus. And the picture of Jesus, who He is, what He taught, what He did is in the bible. We need to hear the voices of nature, our parents, our neighbors, our children, our government, those saints from Christian history, the contrarian, the pacifist, and those whose voices are rarely heard: the poor, the outcast, those with no political or economic power. God may very well speak through them but the message must always be consistent and true to the person and character of Christ as revealed in the Bible. I'll conclude this little series now and move onto something else but do a couple of things for me, if you would. Listen to your own conversations. Around what or who do they center? I did this the last week or so myself and found a rather depressing truth. Most of my conversations centered around me. My time, my calendar, my schedule, my hook, my weight, my family, my enjoyments, my, my, my.... I suppose this is somewhat normal but I seek a new normal. It can be shaped by listening more. The other thing I'd invite you to do is find those who have no voice and speak up for them. I can't tell you who that might me but you can pray and ask God for whom you may speak, at least in prayer at first. He will show you, He will speak to you. He may direct you to orphans in Europe or children scarred by cruel dictators in Africa; He may remind you that the unborn have no voice and the young girls having those babies aren't heard in the volleyball match of politics. He may flood your heart with concern for lonely college kids connected in every way electronically but in no way to God or other lonely hearts. You may develop a heart for the exploited in the gambling\sex industry or for coal miners in China. But is there not somewhere, some people for whom you can pray, or write a letter for, or be involved in missions for those who need a voice? Vox Dei, the voice of God. Hear it in the Bible, but hear it calling to us to from those with no voice or power. There may be many voices we need to hear but One we definitely need to share. Vox Cos