God Speaks with a Purpose
Memory verse: Some trust in chariots and some in horses. But we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7)
We usually want God to speak to us so He can give us a devotional thought to make us feel good for the rest of the day. If you want the God of the universe to speak to you, you need to be ready for Him to reveal what he is doing where you are. In Scripture God is not often seen coming and speaking to people just for conversation’s sake. He was always working to accomplish His purposes. When God speaks to you through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, the church, pr another way, He has a purpose in mind for your life.
When God spoke to Abram (see (Gen 12), what was God about to do? He was about to begin building a nation. Notice God’s timing. Why did God speak to Abram when He did? Because it was then God wanted to start building a nation. The moment Abram knew what God was about to do, he had to adjust his life to God. He had to immediately follow what God said.
The moment God speaks to you is the time He wants you to respond to Him. Don’t think you have the next three to four months to decide whether this is really God’s timing. The moment God speaks to you is God’s timing. That is why He choose to speak when He does. He speaks to His servant when He is ready to move. Otherwise, He wouldn’t speak to you. As God enters the mainstream of your life, the timing of your response is crucial. When God speaks to you, you need to believe and obey Him.
Do not assume, however, that the moment God calls you, you are prepared for the assignment. How long was it from the time God spoke to Abram (later named Abraham) until Isaac, the child of promise, was born? Twenty-five years (see Gen 12:4; 21:5)! Why did God wait 25 years? Because it took God 25 years to make Abraham a father suitable for Isaac. God was concerned not so much about Abram but about founding a nation. The quality of the father will affect the quality of the following generations. As goes the father, so go the next several generations. God took time to build Abram into a man of character. Abram immediately began adjusting his life to God’s ways. He could not wait until Isaac was born and then try to become the kind of father required to raise a patriarch of God’s people.
How long was it after God (through Samuel) anointed David king before David mounted the throne? Maybe 10 to 12 years. What was God doing in the meantime? He was building David’s relationship with Himself. As goes the king, so goes the nation. You cannot bypass character.
How long was it after the living Lord called the Apostle Paul until Paul went on his first missionary journey? Maybe 10 to 11 years. The focus was not on Paul; the focus was on God. God wanted to redeem a lost world, and He wanted to redeem the Gentiles through Paul. God took that much time to prepare Paul for the assignment.
Identify the following statements as True or False:
God speaks to me primarily so I can have a devotional thought for the day
God speaks to me when He has a purpose in mind for my life
When God speaks to me, I should take plenty of time to respond
When God speaks to me, I must immediately respond by adjusting my life to Him
The moment God speaks, is God’s timing
We are so oriented to a quick response; we abandon the word from God log before He has developed our character. When God speaks, He has a purpose in mind for our lives. The moment He speaks is the time we need to begin responding to Him. (False: a and c / True: b, d, and e)