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By Vern Heidebrecht
GOD uses human tongues to communicate his message to others. We Christians are
equipped with the gift of the Holy Spirit to do this in power and clarity. At
times, the messenger may share God’s message in a formal teaching situation.
On other occasions, however, the Holy Spirit may speak the Word of the Lord
through us in spontaneous and surprising ways. If the truth were known, we
would be surprised and affirmed by how often God actually speaks through us.
Special delivery
The story of Jacob and his sons illustrates how uniquely God’s message can be delivered. Because Joseph, the son of Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel, was his father’s favourite, his brothers were jealous of him.
One day Jacob sent Joseph to visit his brothers and see how everything was going
with them. The brothers apparently were some distance away, tending their
flocks at Shechem.
When Joseph got there, the brothers were not to be found. But he met a certain
man in the field who asked him, “What are you looking for?” (Genesis 37:15). When Joseph told him that he was looking for his brothers, the
man said, “They are no longer here. I heard your brothers say they were going to Dothan” (Genesis 37:17).
So, eventually he was able to find his brothers, and they, in a fit of rage,
sold him to a passing caravan as a slave. Joseph was taken to Egypt, where he
was elevated to be Pharaoh’s chief minister, guiding Egypt through a famine and becoming a Bible hero.
Eventually, his brothers came to Egypt for food and discovered the brother they
had mistreated so badly.
But there is more to the story. Where did that certain man in the field come
from? The Bible does not waste words. It is obvious that God used him to be a
vital communication link to help Joseph find his brothers.
The man was a minor character in the drama – but he was not superfluous. If Joseph had not encountered that man, the whole
story would have ended differently.
Pharaoh would never have had Joseph’s advice, advice that made Egypt the only place in the Near East with abundant
grain during the famine. Jacob’s family would never have migrated to Egypt. The Israelite people would never
have been enslaved. There would have been no Moses; no exodus, no Ten
Commandments . . .
There’s no question that God sends messages through us, and to us. Yet many times we
fail to fully recognize and appreciate the critical messages that God wants to
send through us. The Lord has given each of us spiritual gifts, abilities, and
experiences which perfectly match with the needs of individuals in our
community. We not only are called to bring messages but to be a message from
God to people.
The Holy Spirit has also gifted the church with spiritual leaders who speak and
model the Word of God . . . Whether the Bible is being taught from the pulpit
of a large church, in a small group setting, or in a two-person mentoring
relationship, there will usually be a surprise factor . . . The Lord will speak
into the very issues the people are dealing with. God places his words and
thoughts on the tongue of the communicator so that they become the message of
God . . .
Encouragement and hope
God especially delights in sending messages of love, encouragement, and hope . .
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When I was in grade 11 attending a Christian high school, studying was not near
the top of my priority list. Athletics, hanging out, and having fun were the
agenda I was following. It was no surprise that my grades were marginal. The
Lord chose to address this problem in my life in a unique way.
My high school teacher, Mr. Neufeld, also taught a mid-week Bible class for the
boys. I can only recall one session and one lesson from all the times that I
attended-but that one lesson was powerful . . .
About halfway through the session, I found myself leaning forward as I heard Mr.
Neufeld explain that God had a wonderful plan for each of our lives. The more
he used scripture to explain this concept, the greater my interest was piqued.
After the session, I approached my teacher and with great anticipation asked him
what he thought God’s will might be for my life. I will never forget his response. He crossed his
arms over his chest, waited a while, looked me directly in the eye, and said, “God’s will for you, Vern, is to begin taking your studies seriously. The rest will
be taken care of by the Lord in due time.” This wasn’t quite the answer I had looked for or anticipated. But his words were from God.
I recall being on my knees that night and asking the Lord to change my
priorities so that I would take my studies seriously. The change took faith,
commitment, and work, but, by God’s grace, the turn was made. Having heard the voice of God through my teacher
made me eager to hear his voice in the future.
God also speaks through individuals of faith even after they have died. The life
of Abel gives us this insightful illustration: “God accepted Abel’s offering to show that he was a righteous man. And although Abel is long dead,
he still speaks to us because of his faith” (Hebrews 11:4). So if you have a relative or friend of faith who has passed on,
that person’s life is still speaking to you. This is an encouragement for all of us.
I encourage you to anticipate God’s speaking to you through people.
Vern Heidebrecht is pastor emeritus of Northview Community Church in Abbotsford.
(c)2008 Cook Communications Ministries. From Hearing God’s Voice by Vern Heidebrecht. Reprinted with permission. May not be further reproduced.
All rights reserved.
November 2009
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