A guard for the Miami Dolphins for fourteen seasons, Bob Kuechenberg was once asked by a reporter why he had gone to college when most of his family had not.Mr. Kuechenberg’s answer was: “My father and my uncle were human cannonballs in carnivals. One day my uncle came out of the cannon, missed the net, and hit the Ferris wheel. I decided to go to college.”
I don’t have to tell you that knowing what to do isn’t always easy. Let’s put to the side, for now, the matters addressed clearly by the Scriptures. They’re matters of obedience or disobedience. I must love my neighbor, for example – there’s no reason for me to ask God if I’m off the hook on that one. So don’t complain about God not speaking when your Bible is closed. But I’m talking about the dilemmas we face that aren’t clear. Search as hard as you want, but you’re not going to find a verse which tells you whether to move to Minneapolis or Moline.
That verse is simply not there. Sometimes, friends, we gotta hit the Ferris wheel. When it comes to leading and guiding us – or just getting our attention – God can get ‘er done …
In Genesis 32, He wrestled conniving Jacob to the ground by the Jabbok River.
In Exodus 3, He commissioned Moses through a burning bush that wouldn’t burn up.
In Exodus 14, He parted the roaring waters of the Red Sea – then swallowed the Egyptian army.
In Numbers 12, He secured Miriam’s attention through a case of temporary leprosy.
In Numbers 22, He set the record straight through a talking donkey. More peculiar prophets would follow.
In Joshua 10, He made the sun stand still ‘til everybody noticed.
In First Samuel 12, He used thunder and rain to stop skeptics in their tracks.
In Second Samuel 12, He captured David’s soul through the truth-telling of a convicting story (about David).
In First Kings 18, He sent fire from heaven to destroy 450 false prophets.
In Second Kings 6, He made an iron axe head float, and He filled the mountains around Elisha with mighty angels – “horses and chariots of fire.”
In Isaiah 6, He showed Isaiah His (God’s) incredible throne. Isaiah never got over it.
In Isaiah 38, He got King Hezekiah’s attention through a diagnosis of terminal illness.
In Daniel 3, He arrested the gaze of proud King Nebuchadnezzar by dropping a fourth man into the fiery furnace.
In Jonah, He snagged the prophet through a storm, a large fish, and a near-death experience.
In Matthew 26, He broke Peter’s heart via the crow of an unsuspecting rooster.
In John 11, He raised very-dead Lazarus from the dead.
In Acts 9, He – with a blinding bright light – brought Type-A Saul to his knees. Yes, Paul.
In Acts 16, He woke up the Philippian jailer’s family (in more ways than one) through a miraculous earthquake.
In Revelation, He overwhelmed John by stunning revelation … after stunning revelation … after stunning revelation.
God’s ways can seem very mysterious to us. And we just barely scratched the surface. The bottom line is this: To secure our undivided attention, God can do whatever must be done.
God doesn’t always speak to us in ways which we’d deem “dramatic.” In First Kings 19, Elijah is severely discouraged. He’s coming off an undeniably spectacular victory when he becomes immediately depressed because of death threats against him. The Lord comes to comfort Elijah, who is spiritually and physically exhausted – and feeling isolated and afraid. As Elijah waits, an impressive windstorm, an earthquake, and flashing fire come his way – spectacular events through which we’d expect God to reveal His plans for Elijah (especially since it’s the place where God had met with Moses). But God doesn’t speak to Elijah through any of these. In fact, Elijah’s heart is unmoved until a low whisper comes his way – the sound of a still, small voice. The Hebrew literally says, “a thin silence.” Then and only then, in reverence and awe, can Elijah listen as God reassures him that he’s not alone.
You see, God’s Ferris wheel may not look, or sound, or feel much like a Ferris wheel.
You and I have it on good authority that – whether we feel like we’re “hearing” from Him or not – our Father in heaven never stops caring for us. Jesus said it plainly (Luke 11:11-13): “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” When we’re struggling or seeking answers, we can rest assured that God will not leave us without the guidance we need. God doesn’t major in vagaries, but He meets us where we are.
We must never forget that God’s character is unshakable. He longs to fill our hearts and minds with comfort and wisdom and strength. We can count on Him. We can come to Him honestly and openly, and we can pour out our souls before His throne of grace. We can express our doubts … fears … discouragement. He knows already. And, regardless of where we find ourselves, we can look at our lives through the lens of God’s perfect promise (Romans 8:28): “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” There’s no uncertainty in the big picture – only certainty.
You and I won’t understand everything God does. We must humbly leave room for His mystery (Deuteronomy 29:29; Job 38-39; Isaiah 55:8-9; Romans 11:33-34). And, in the end, we should find that comforting. Who wants a God we can fully comprehend?
As you keep learning to hear from God, I’ll share some general principles which may be helpful …
1. Ask the Lord to remove from your life anything that hinders your open ear or your open heart. Be prepared to repent. You’ll be glad you did.
2. Commit yourself to a life of discipleship marked by trusting and obeying God. This is who you want to be, and who you’re becoming in Christ.
3. Resist the natural tendency to rely too heavily on your own understanding. Instead, determine to live by God’s wisdom – and keep asking to be filled with it. Humbly acknowledge the truth: What feels right isn’t always right.
4. Listen to the wise counsel of those whom you trust for their spiritual maturity (including their maturity in God’s Word).
5. God often repeats what is most important. We see this in the Scriptures, and we see this in our lives. Notice things that come to you more than once.
6. Pray humbly and earnestly. Be willing to fast and pray – and to do whatever it takes to hear clearly from God.
7. While you’re praying, pay attention to the thoughts that capture your heart. They may be distractions, but they may be vitally important.
8. The Lord’s callings tend to grow stronger over time. If He’s calling you to do something, He’s able to make that abundantly clear.
9. Test the spirits. This comes straight out of 1 John 4:1-6. None of us is above being deceived. A good test question is: “Does it honor and exalt Jesus Christ?”
10. God never speaks in any way that contradicts His written Word (the Bible), as He is entirely consistent in character and communication.
11. Recognize that God usually calls us to things that require faith and risk. (I understand that it’s not ultimately risky to obey God, as God will see us through – if not in this world, then the next – but God’s calling may feel very risky to us now.)
12. While you’re waiting on wisdom and direction from God, wait actively. Worship God joyfully. Rejoice in the truth that you have received and that you do understand. Thank God that He never wastes time, and that He builds vital Christlike character in us while we wait.
Because of Jesus, you and I can know hope even when we can’t know the way forward. Clarity will come in due time. Meanwhile, we choose to trust a trustworthy God. Even if we have to hit a few Ferris wheels along the way, we can thank the Lord for every holy jolt. Soon we’ll realize that our moments of mystery were never hollow, but each held sacred purpose and meaning.
We’ll see that Love was guiding us all along.
Pastor Charles
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