Sometimes God Speaks in the Thunder

Many of us complain "God never speaks to me" because we're hoping for burning bushes, or audible words from heaven, or at least inner voices so clear we couldn't possibly mistake them. Perhaps I should say we're half hoping for something unmistakable--most of us also hope that anything God does say will be something we want to hear. If He wants to assure us we'll be healthy and wealthy all our lives, fine; but if we suspect He's telling us to walk away from ungodly habits or destructive relationships we nonetheless love, we tend to avoid listening too carefully lest we actually have to make the choice.

Regardless, God does speak to us in various ways. The natural world testifies to His power and love of beauty. Our own consciences warn us when we're wandering from His path. And the Bible--not to mention the advice of discerning Christian friends--gives us His definite and unmistakable principles for living. If we ignore His voice in these basic things, we have no right to complain when He declines to shout in our faces (not that we'd likely enjoy it so much if He did). One has to learn a language before holding a conversation in it!

The important question is not, "Is God speaking to me?" but "Am I listening to God?"

Sometimes God speaks in the thunder,
Sometimes in the roar of the sea,
Sometimes in the wail of the wolf or the loon,
For a mighty God is He.

Sometimes God speaks in a whisper,
In the buzz of the hummingbird,
In a breeze whose breath barely rustles the grass,
When His still small voice is heard.

Whether He speaks loud or softly,
He has something to say to all:
So through all your days and with all of your heart,
Keep your ear tuned to His call!