Conversing with God - Part 1 - by P.K.Odendaal - 23 June 2011.
Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir.
This adage is a corruption of the nursery rhyme : Baba Blacksheep, have you any wool?
But, it says so much and has a very subtle innuendo of blaming the person spoken to for being dictatorial in the sense that one cannot do or say anything that undermines his authority - so the most one can do is give him a totally useless reply, confirming one's subordination to him, but saying less then nothing. It is also a veiled accusation of the misuse of power by the person spoken to.
And this is the way some of us talk to God.
Not that I criticize them for it, for anyone can talk to God as he/she pleases.
However, let me lead you to a more exciting communication with God exploring some of His and your inner feelings and needs.
If it comes to communication, we are mostly inept in our daily communication with our fellow human beings in that we try and say as little as possible or as much as possible, hiding our feelings, not being able to frame our thoughts properly, using the wrong words due to our limited vocabulary, not having time to air our thoughts properly, not sure what we really want to say, scared something we say might offend the listener, unaware of our real motive for speaking, generally mumbling on in ignorant self infatuation and unable to express ourselves using too few words and soothing the listener with adages such as - you know what I mean - and - a good idea needs only half a word.
There is a book written with the name : "What do you say after you say Hello". The name says it all and descibes the awkward situation we often find ourselves in, when we are in the presence of a stranger and we do not know what to say. For some of us God is such a stranger and we find it difficult to get a conversation with God going.
In fact, most of the time, when we find ourselves in such an embarassing situation, we will try and disengage the conversation by the following well known fail-safe replies (or conversation enders):
• I don't know
• Is it so?
• Are you sure?
• I will refer you to someone else
• How did you get into this situation
• Sorry, but I am really busy now.
• Whatever happened, I am not responsible
• Would you like to see some photos of my grand-children or my last holiday
• You cannot talk to me in that tone
You may argue that the above replies to my fellow men are in order, and of course when God speaks to me I will give proper attention.
If you have this opinion you are wrong and I will quote some scripture to prove it. In all these cases God was met with conversation enders.
What makes you so sure you can do better. Rather practice good conversational skills with your fellow men and then you can give God a better reply.
Man is a social animal and communication is one of our vital social skills - so why not develop it somehow that it adds some depth and meaning to our lives and the lives of others - and my present subject - to the life of God.
I am a human being full of hopes, emotions, feelings, ideas, creativity, needs, love, compassion, longing , uncertainty, need of recognition and adoration - and a very strong yearning to add value and meaning to my life. (OK - that is pushing it somewhat, but I am trying to make a point)
I was created in the image of God - so God must have the same or similar characteristics, except for the iniquities that polluted my body and soul - no, I do not mean it in a sacrilegious way, but I am quite sure God also have many of the needs I enumerated. As a start - God really wants to communicate with us, needs our love and adoration and wants to be a true friend of us and wants to be proud of us and hold us as as an example of His best friend to others He talks to.
Again, I wish to stress that I mean this in a very humane and benevolent way, and I will provide scripture to back up these claims.
Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir.
This adage is a corruption of the nursery rhyme : Baba Blacksheep, have you any wool?
But, it says so much and has a very subtle innuendo of blaming the person spoken to for being dictatorial in the sense that one cannot do or say anything that undermines his authority - so the most one can do is give him a totally useless reply, confirming one's subordination to him, but saying less then nothing. It is also a veiled accusation of the misuse of power by the person spoken to.
And this is the way some of us talk to God.
Not that I criticize them for it, for anyone can talk to God as he/she pleases.
However, let me lead you to a more exciting communication with God exploring some of His and your inner feelings and needs.
If it comes to communication, we are mostly inept in our daily communication with our fellow human beings in that we try and say as little as possible or as much as possible, hiding our feelings, not being able to frame our thoughts properly, using the wrong words due to our limited vocabulary, not having time to air our thoughts properly, not sure what we really want to say, scared something we say might offend the listener, unaware of our real motive for speaking, generally mumbling on in ignorant self infatuation and unable to express ourselves using too few words and soothing the listener with adages such as - you know what I mean - and - a good idea needs only half a word.
There is a book written with the name : "What do you say after you say Hello". The name says it all and descibes the awkward situation we often find ourselves in, when we are in the presence of a stranger and we do not know what to say. For some of us God is such a stranger and we find it difficult to get a conversation with God going.
In fact, most of the time, when we find ourselves in such an embarassing situation, we will try and disengage the conversation by the following well known fail-safe replies (or conversation enders):
• I don't know
• Is it so?
• Are you sure?
• I will refer you to someone else
• How did you get into this situation
• Sorry, but I am really busy now.
• Whatever happened, I am not responsible
• Would you like to see some photos of my grand-children or my last holiday
• You cannot talk to me in that tone
You may argue that the above replies to my fellow men are in order, and of course when God speaks to me I will give proper attention.
If you have this opinion you are wrong and I will quote some scripture to prove it. In all these cases God was met with conversation enders.
- 1. Job 33:14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
- 2. Gen 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
- 3. Ex. 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
- Ex. 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
- Ex. 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
- Ex. 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
- Ex. 4:13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
- 4. Adam. Gen 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? v:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
- 5. To spy out the land of Canaan. Num 13:31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. v:32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. v:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
- What a gross self humiliation : and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers. This is the children of the King of the Universe who says it.
- 6. Elijah. 1Ki 19:13 ...... And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? v:14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
- 7. Jdg 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. v:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
- 8. Balaam. Num 22:27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. v:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? v:29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
What makes you so sure you can do better. Rather practice good conversational skills with your fellow men and then you can give God a better reply.
Man is a social animal and communication is one of our vital social skills - so why not develop it somehow that it adds some depth and meaning to our lives and the lives of others - and my present subject - to the life of God.
I am a human being full of hopes, emotions, feelings, ideas, creativity, needs, love, compassion, longing , uncertainty, need of recognition and adoration - and a very strong yearning to add value and meaning to my life. (OK - that is pushing it somewhat, but I am trying to make a point)
I was created in the image of God - so God must have the same or similar characteristics, except for the iniquities that polluted my body and soul - no, I do not mean it in a sacrilegious way, but I am quite sure God also have many of the needs I enumerated. As a start - God really wants to communicate with us, needs our love and adoration and wants to be a true friend of us and wants to be proud of us and hold us as as an example of His best friend to others He talks to.
Again, I wish to stress that I mean this in a very humane and benevolent way, and I will provide scripture to back up these claims.
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