Yesterday I spoke to some men about discovering one’s purpose in life. We had an interesting discussion about how God communicates with us. Personally God has never spoken aloud to me, but that is not to say that we have not communicated. I told them that my experience is that God doesn’t scream, rather he is a whisperer who gently speaks to us through our minds, spirits, souls, and even His creation that surrounds us.
When faced with multiple options I have often wished that God would just come sit in my office and tell me, “Okay Bob this is the option I want you to take and this is what I want you to do…”
Such is not the case. Instead we must earnestly seek God and draw close to Him. We ask for His direction through prayer, meditation, careful Bible study, and by listening ever so carefully. The Bible states that God hears our requests and at a time of His choosing will answer them according to His sovereign will.
How do we discern whether or not the direction that we decide upon is the one that God wants us to take? I judge that by the level of peace that I have with the decision. When I’m in synch with God, I know peace as I’ve never known it and feel completely at ease. When I’m not, I find the achievement of peace in my mind, spirit, and soul to be an impossible achievement.
Alas such things are difficult to put into words. It reminds me of not having the ability to see or hear a strong undertow in the ocean, but we can sure feel its pull when we step into it; similarly God’s peace is unmistakable and easily identified when it descends upon us.
As mentioned I find that God speaks to me in numerous ways, including through nature and His creation. For example every morning I get up very early. My little dog Cooper, (nicknamed Coopie), invariably greets me with a wagging tail. He is always happy to see me and affectionately comes into my office to quietly lay beside me while I work.
Words cannot adequately express how much I love this little pup. He is a beautiful dog and gentle little thing and for some strange reason has never barked. I thought he might be mute, but I accidentally stepped on him one day and he let out a yell that could be heard across Honey Lake. He isn’t one of those pain in the neck dogs that excitedly runs around making a jerk out of himself either. In fact he often prefers his own space and we hardly notice he is around. His calm demeanor fits our household perfectly, because it is definitely quiet and serene in our home with no kids, TV, radio, or other pandemonium and ruckus.
As a pup Coopie occasionally got into trouble. He chewed a few of my favorite socks, but didn’t chew on the furniture. He was a little stubborn as a youngster in becoming house trained, but a few stern lessons and he quickly learned that outside was the place to do his business.
Yesterday he came into my office at three a.m. and stood there wagging his tail and looking at me with his large brown eyes. I knew what he wanted; he wanted me to stop working and pick him up and love on him. I knew too from experience that it was hopeless to try and pretend to ignore him, because he was not about to allow me to continue to work.
So I sighed and picked him up and put him in my lap, and he looked up at me with adoring eyes and gently laid his head on my chest. I must have petted him for ten minutes, focusing on rubbing the bases of his ears, (his favorite).
I felt great compassion for him and it was at this split second that I believe that God spoke to me about the dilemma in which I find myself. First let me explain that I have been struggling mightily with trying to understand the issue of grace, and I believe that this moment was God’s gentle way of shedding more light on this subject for me.
I really have a difficult time understanding how God can forgive and forget all of the black sins that I have committed throughout my life. I cannot forgive myself, much less those who have wronged me, and I find it hard to understand how God can do it. I try to forgive myself and those who have wronged me and forget whatever injustice I committed, or that others have hurled my way, but frankly I struggle terribly with it. I find it’s a lot easier to say, “I forgive you” than to forget what I have done, or others have done to me, and yet God unequivocally states, “I will remember your sins no more”.
As I sat there with my little pup, I felt nothing but a deep affectionate love for him. I didn’t remember his chewing a few of my favorite socks, or tinkling on my carpet, or otherwise messing up; I just looked at his eyes and he looked at mine and we sat there in a state of pure love for each other. At that moment the mistakes Coopie has made throughout his life were long forgotten, and all I felt for him was deep love.
I think that this gives me an inkling of how God views us as redeemed sinners. His love for us blots out our past mistakes and the focus remains on the pure love of today.
Our sins are forgotten via the blood of Christ. And solely because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God now only sees a loving son or daughter and He can pour out His incomprehensible Holy pure love and blanket His children with it forever.
God is love and love is a splendid thing, (even Coopie love). Selah…
1 John 4:7
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.