We live in such a noisy world. Vehicles vibrating the bass line of the music playing inside.

Cellphones and computers constantly ringing, beeping, and buzzing. People talking over one

another, literally and figuratively. And there’s the voice in our head telling us we need to do

more and be more. There’s so much noise in the world sometimes I wonder how God can ever get a word in edgewise.

 

But the noisiness of our lives and the world doesn’t prevent God from speaking to us. God

chooses to speak to us – to comfort us, direct us, encourage us. Through the Holy Spirit, God

speaks to us in a variety of ways: through scripture, preaching, prayer, circumstances, people, the deep knowing that roots itself within us. God uses all sorts of means to speak to us so that we hear and are changed, being blessed by the encounter.

In Acts 16:11-15, we hear the story of Lydia, a woman among women gathered outside the city gate for prayer. Paul and friends came and joined them, talking with the women about Jesus. The Holy Spirit opened Lydia’s heart to hear God speaking to her through Paul. As a result, not only was Lydia and her entire household baptized, but she invited Paul and his friends to stay in her home.

 

God will use whatever means necessary, as often as necessary, to speak to us in ways that we can hear. Sometimes God speaks a word of comfort or affirmation. Sometimes God speaks and we are convicted or challenged in some way. Other times we are directed to do something. Whenever we hear God speak, we are invited to go deeper in our relationship with the God who created us and act on what we heard. We may find we are changed in the process- our ideas, our perspectives, our direction – to be more like God. But always, we are blessed by the very One who speaks to us.

 

 

If your congregation or organization would like an ambassador visit from one of our Crossways volunteers, please email Amanda Wellens at amanda@crosswayscamps.org.