Why does God speak to us? Ne doesn’t need to talk to us. God doesn’t need anything. The only answer I can come up with is this: God speaks with us because He wants to.
In His wisdom, God choose talking with us to be the way in which He could and would reveal Himself to us. Of all the things He wants to share with us, His greatest message is that He wants us to know about His abundant love and mercy. In doing so, we come to see God as being our lover, and we become His beloved.
{Speak Lord, your servant is listening.} 1 Samuel 3:10
God chooses to talk to us often and in a variety of ways, times places, people, and events. Whatever means He chooses to make this happen, each encounter will probably bring about new experiences and challenges. There will be times when God will want to do the talking and all He wants us to do is just listen in silence. There will also be times when God will invite us to respond to His words as we are called into a conversation, a sharing of our thoughts. Then there will be times when God will ask us to take His words into our hearts and minds so that we can meditate upon His words of love. No matter how God chooses, one thing is for certain-these moments are very special. Moments of grace always are. They are truly gifts from God-treasures of the heart.
{Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and redeemer.}
Psalm 19:14
So what are to do when God speaks with us? Having a conversation with God is the perfect model of how we are to interact with others. This model is at the heart and soul of every solid relationship, for it fulfills both a spiritual and human need. We were created to be a spiritual people, created in the image of God, and we are a people who need conversation. That is why God created us with the ability to both listen and speak. It’s through these conversations that we express a need to be loved and to give love, and to ask for forgiveness and know that we are forgiven when we fail to do so.
It is through these holy conversations that we are allowed to both personalize and grow in our relationships with God and others. God chose all conversations to be the process through which we come to see either ourselves or someone else in a different light. We are called to understand that just as God is merciful and loving with us, we are to be the same way with others. We are not called to be judges of others, only ourselves, our failures and shortcomings. Rather we are to see God in others, both our friends and our enemies, and how God is at work in their lives as well. We are called to follow the example of God, that is by listening to their stories and letting them know of God’s great love and mercy for them. That’s the way it should be.
{Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear; slow to speak; slow to anger.} James 1:19
Unfortunately for a lot of people, when it comes time for them to take an active role in communication, they fall far short of the ideal. It seems that many have mastered the speaking part, but when it comes to listening, they fail miserably. For some unknown reason, some just can’t let go of their egos or life problems long enough to be able to enter into the listener stage. How they love to talk about themselves, but could care less about other people’s stories or problems. They shut others out of their lives. They show no respect. They are the center of the universe, and everything revolves around them. It’s an attitude that goes against everything God wants for us.
God does not want that to happen. That’s why God chooses to talk to us. That’s why God needs to talk to us. Go’s words give direction and purpose to our lives. Maybe that is why when God created us, He gave us two ears and one mouth.
