Ways I'm not like God II

I have some things God doesn't have.
For instance, I have a before and an after.
God doesn't.
He has an always was and an always will be.
However, he's promised to share his always will be with me.

Shepherd nova (A poem)

 Here’s an example of poetry that may show up from time to time:

Shepherd nova

You shepherd the stars and you shepherd me.

You corral galaxies with your fingertips and me,

more unruly,

you close in with time and patience and understanding I don't comprehend.

And with tender graces.

Radiant energies throb and storm in deepest space but are a child's butterfly kiss to you.

I've torn your heart and made you weep.

Still you love me

and give all to win my heart.

Wonder of wonders, that I could be your joy.

It's Good to Hear (Via John 10.11-14 NLT)

From time to time, I post a verse God speaks to me from the Bible in a personalized way, like I talk about in “Does God really speak to me?” Nothing spooky, just trying to hear and make real what God seems to want to tell me from his word. Such as:

It's good to hear this from Jesus through his word: Michael, I'm your shepherd ... I won't run when a wolf comes at you. I won't abandon you. I won't run away when you need me most. I know you and care for you. You're mine. Relax a little. (Via John 10.11-14 NLT)

Does God Really Speak to Me?

Yes, he does. He speaks to me in many ways. No one should limit God. He can speak through a song, a thought, a billboard, a friend, a foe—many ways.

But the main way he speaks to me or to anyone is through his word, the Bible. I’m no one special, but I can go to his word and he promises to speak to me.

He promises not to lie.

Truth be told, he actually wants to speak to me more than I want to hear him. And I do want to hear him.

God will speak to virtually anyone, but it takes a bit of faith and trust. Isn’t the Bible all about God encouraging us to believe him and have fellowship with him? That means communication both ways. I can complicate everything, but it all should be pretty simple, really.

It’s why you and I were created.

Faith and trust mean I need to take God at his word. I need to take it to heart and make it mine. I need to know it’s him speaking to me. I can personalize his word, let it truly be him talking to me because that’s exactly what it's supposed to be.

To some, that may sound outrageous, but I’m convinced it’s absolutely what he wants. It says a lot more about the goodness of the living God than it says about me “hearing God” because I’m super spiritual or something.

Trust me, I’m not super spiritual. Far from it. I hear from God because I’m needy, not because I have it together.

I'm supposed to believe what Jesus says to me in the Bible is really to me and for me. Not that I can make anything I want to out of it, but taken honestly and with a good faith effort to be close to him and obey him, it’s Jesus, the Holy Spirit and my Heavenly Father speaking to me.

Thirty-plus years ago, I was given a new Bible. I became convinced it was supposed to be a love letter to me from Jesus. Back in those days (pre-personal computers) I used what were called press-on letters for graphics work. They were alphabets that could be transferred onto paper by rubbing them on. I decided to take my new Bible and at the start of Genesis put “Dear Michael” and at the end of Revelation put “Love, Jesus.”

I try to let God speak to me each day, personalizing the verses of the Bible and believing what it says is for me from the one who made me and gave his life for me.

Because God cannot lie.

For instance, Psalm 27.14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.” By personalizing it, it simply becomes, “Michael, wait for me. Be strong and let your heart take courage, I really want you to wait for me.”

Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me."

That becomes, "Michael, I'm waiting. Open up to me and I'll come to you and we'll fellowship together."

See the difference? Not so big—but so important.

Especially if I take it to heart.

Even though all of God's word is in some way to me and for me, it's especially those verses that I somehow believe God is speaking to me at a particular time that I seem to get the most out of when they're personalized--you know, the verses that seem to jump off the page and speak right to my heart. Still, it's by personalizing them that they sometimes become those verses that pierce by heart deeply.

Sometimes it's a random verse, sometimes verses from something I read or hear, sometimes it’s from a devotional work and of course, it’s most often from my regular Bible reading and study.

 It’s all a work in progress. The emphasis is on encouragement, relationship, spending time with Jesus and even letting him challenge and correct me. It’s more about growing in grace than it is about perfecting theology. It’s about trusting him and having what becomes an intimate relationship. And it's not always foolproof and perfect on my part.

Am I way too audacious for thinking God’s word is personally mine and working to believe it? I’m not actually such an audacious person. I just believe Jesus is the one who’s audacious and who wants to lavish his word, and his heart, on me.

Of course, the best part of all this is how much God wants to speak to you, too.