Tuesday, April 21, 2009

If God Can Speak Through Donkeys…He Can Speak Through Deer!
By Karen D’Amore

“Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam…”
Numbers 22:28

God desires for us to hear His voice…feel His presence…and know His will. And while He is, at times, a God of mystery or secrets, He doesn’t leave us floundering in confusion. He desires for us to know Him and experience Him, in a personal way, within our daily routine.

So how does God speak? Searching the Scriptures we see that there is no standard method. He spoke from a cloud, through a wet fleece and a dry one, through a blinding light, in a “still, small voice” and even through a donkey! Repeatedly throughout the Bible, God spoke through different methods, however, two things remained likely: (1) God spoke and (2) whomever He was speaking to usually knew it was Him.

Discerning God’s voice and recognizing His presence can only be developed through knowing Him. Through a deepening intimate relationship, I am impelled to look for God in everything around me. Passionate about wildlife, God’s creatures serve as a vessel through which I see His splendor and experience His presence.

Praying as I packed for a trip home to California, apprehension and anxiety flooded my heart. Re-uniting with everything safe, comfortable and familiar…the trip held potential for rousing displeasure with my newer, less comfortable homeland. In the midst of my prayer, God drew my attention to movement outside my window. Pressed against the window were the noses of three deer! As God’s presence transcended through those precious deer, peace echoed from the depth of my heart. God spoke to me in that pivotal moment by illuminating a significant source of my contentment in my new Midwest homeland. In His still, small voice He spoke volumes by communicating in a manner which was so utterly clear to me.

Are you longing to hear God’s voice...feel His presence…or know His will? The Lord manifests Himself to us and through us as we humbly seek Him. “Trust the Lord from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who’ll keep you on track” (Proverbs 3:5-6 The Message).

God spoke to Moses through a bush, to Balaam through a donkey and to me through deer. Stop…look…and listen! God desires to speak to you in a manner which is unique and special, exclusive to you!

GOING DEEPER:
1. Are you longing to hear God’s voice but feeling disconnected? Humbly draw near to Him and re-connect.

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 25:12; Proverbs 16:3; Jeremiah 29:12-13; Isaiah 30:21

Married to husband Dan, Karen manages Intrigue Salon & Spa, is the administrator for Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study, and co-leads a freshman girls’ small group.
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