God Speaking

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us….” (John 1:14)

We have just finished celebrating the Christmas season and during the Christmas week I came across a quote that made me really stop and think through the miracle of Jesus’ birth;

“That is the staggering proposition the Bible gives – God became the weakest thing we know” – Oswald Chambers

The astounding part of this quote seems to be an oxymoron. How could this weakest thing we know, a baby totally dependent on his parents, be the mighty Word of God? We need to back track to the beginning of time to explore the power of…The Word

The Heavenly Creator brought the whole universe into being by speaking;

“And God said, “Let there be light”, and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)

God’s word was so powerful nature obeyed and became into being. We ourselves were brought into being by the power of his word.

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image…”” (Genesis 1:26)

God spoke to men and made lasting covenants with them. He spoke to Moses and gave him the great gift of the law. He spoke to prophets to warn his people of the danger of their actions, but his most gracious gift was to give his word life in the form of the Lord Jesus Christ.

So what impact does that have on us as we read Scripture? Do we see these precious thoughts of God as just lifeless words on a page? Are they perhaps an interesting story? Do we regard them as historical facts written down for others who existed in another time from us? Or do we read them as life changing, dynamic, challenging filled with such power that we are compelled to heed them and to recognize the author as our Heavenly Father?

The writer of Hebrews answers those questions;

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12)

Karl Barth, a Swiss theologian who was born in 1886, makes a very firm statement about scripture and what effect it must have on our lives;

“To understand scripture we must stop acting like mere spectators. God’s word demands that we engage our lives with him”

Being a spectator is often the role we choose in life situations. It is so much easier to use that old excuse, “I don’t want to get involved” rather than be an active participator in a crisis in another’s life. It can creep into our church communities where sitting in the back pew being a spectator is easier than participating in church activities. Being isolated at home allowing oneself to be a spectator of life instead of striving to participate in healthy ways can trap us into loneliness.

When we grasp that God’s word is living and active our whole attitude to reading those precious thoughts changes. We want our lives entwined with his. We don’t want to just observe on the sidelines. We want that word to give us life. We can trust our lives to his word.

“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless…” (2 Samuel 22:31)