September 12 | Hebrews 1:8-9

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DAILY READING

Hebrews 1:8-9

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He is Not Silent

By Ken Dillman

Does God really still speak to us today?

Several years ago, I was talking with a family member about God; they were college educated and found it incredulous that I believed that God speaks to us today. To them, it was preposterous that I even believed God existed; they equated my faith to believing the mythologies of ancient times.

I said, “Just because hearing God hasn’t been your experience, that doesn’t mean that others and I haven’t heard God.”

My family member didn’t know how to respond to my simple statement.

The writer of Hebrews reminded their audience that God had spoken in the past, primarily through the prophets, people like Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and others. The Old Testament describes instances when God spoke directly to people, and he told them to write down what he had said. (Ex. 17:14, Ez. 24:2, Isa. 8:1)

The Hebrews writer acknowledges that most recently, God had spoken through his Son, Jesus. The God by whom everything was created, and for whom everything was created, was still speaking.

God speaks in diverse ways to us today: Through people, circumstances, events, dreams, visions, intuition, the Holy Spirit, and our conscience.

When people who know nothing about God or Jesus have an internal understanding of right and wrong, it confirms that God has woven Himself into us; that we are created in his image, and our conscience screams that God is still speaking.

God also speaks through prayer; Jesus taught his disciples, “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.” (Matt. 6:6) I’ve discovered the truth of what Jesus taught; when I’m alone with God praying, he speaks to me, even when my focus is asking help, healing, mercy, and grace for others.

Quiet places are a beautiful place to hear God speak. If I’ll tune out the chaos and the noise and not be afraid to confront the quiet, I can hear God speak. There was a reason God said, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10)

And God is still speaking through the scriptures.

Countless times I’ve sat quietly reading the Bible, only to read, hear, or see something new and fresh, even though I’ve read the same passage dozens of times.

God spoke to the Israelite people through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13)

Maybe this is what my family member was missing…they had never sought God with their whole heart so they could hear him speak.

Is it possible that Satan knows that God still speaks to us today, and one of his most impactful ways of keeping us from hearing God’s voice, is to distract us from reading the Bible?

Reading the Bible is the easiest way of knowing that God still speaks today.

Prayer: Father in heaven, help us to hear your voice in its manifold ways; help us to embrace the scriptures so that we might hear new and fresh from you each day. Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KEN DILLMAN

My wife, Karen and I have been attending UALC for 6-7 years and enjoy God's presence in our gatherings. We live in Hilliard; our three adult children live in Central Ohio. I am a retired Chaplain and Pastor, and enjoy writing, walking, jogging, and listening to live music. I appreciate the opportunity to write for the church’s devotionals.