Forcing God to fit inside my understanding of God is something I avoid. Instead I strive to see and hear God in new ways. God generally reveals Godself in two ways, through general revelation and through special revelation. General revelation is how God communicates to everyone, even if he or she does not have a personal relationship with God (Keeler, 1). Special revelation is more personal and enabled when a person has an intimate relationship with God (Keeler, 4). Randy Keeler categorized special revelations into seven groups which include a phenomenon plus a voice (Exodus 3:3-6), a supernatural messenger (Hebrews 13:2), dreams and visions (Acts 16:9), audible voice (1 Samuel 3), the human voice (1 Corinthians 2:1-5), the human spirit (Romans 12:1-2), and through the scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Experiencing God directly through special revelation does not make a person any better than someone who does not experience God through special revelation; in truth, one should be aware that he or she may not have correctly heard from God. In my walk with Christ, I have encountered special revelation through the human spirit, through scriptures, and through the human voice.
“God desires to speak to us; we just have to be listening.” (Keeler, 3). How true these words ring, especially when I recall about a year ago in the winter of 2007 when I was experiencing difficult times. Unhappy with life and desiring change I called out to God in desperation knowing that God was the only solution. I spent a lot of time reading the bible and praying by myself. I was weary and continuously cried out to God for help repeating the words “God, I trust you,” because I knew that God was on my side. I sat in God’s lap burying my face in his arms clinging to God for strength. Then a still small voice came, bringing peace and calm to my weary soul. Though the still small voice did not speak, the silence carried the answer. Peace, calm, trust, somehow I understood that it would be okay. Romans 12:2 reads “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is –his good, pleasing and perfect will.” It was at that time that my mind was renewed by God; it was then that I began to understand that God’s will for me was to rest in God’s lap and allow his peace and love to cover me.
It was only a few days after this while I was reading the bible that I came across Psalm 138. In this Psalm David is worshiping God and praising God for being God and helping him through the hard times. It seemed as if I had written the Psalm myself. Verse 3 reads “When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.” After I had collapsed into God’s love, God began to revive my soul and fill me with God’s joy. Psalm 138 spoke to me by putting into words all of the things I did not know how to say to God, but had desired to sing to God since God had restored my soul. For me it was true that, “Though I walk through the midst of trouble, you preserve my life.” (Psalm 138:7). All of my difficulties had not magically disappeared; however, the burden of my difficulties had been lifted from my shoulders. I knew that harder difficulties were only a few steps in front of me, yet God was leading the way making the challenges easier to bear.
My eldest brother Shaun passed away in a car accident on September 11, 1998. He was only sixteen years old and on his drive home from school he lost control of his car and it crashed into a tree. This year marked his ten year death anniversary, and I was stuck at college far away from the love and comfort of my family and friends who knew Shaun. As soon as I awoke on Thursday I carried grief and loneliness, people at college did not know that I had a brother who died, and if I told people most of them would undoubtedly step awkwardly back whisper an apology and change the subject. None of which would help. I slowly started to prepare for chapel and thought about going back to bed and hiding the entire day when my phone rang. It was my high school youth pastor calling to see how I was doing; she had remembered and wanted to let me know that she was praying for me and my family. God used her to reveal God’s love to me. After lunch I was feeling alone again when I mentioned to Laurin Waidelich that it was the anniversary of my brother’s death, again God’s love was revealed to me because Laurin did not back away awkwardly; instead she reached out to comfort me and wanted to hear more. Throughout the day whenever I felt alone and unloved God sent a message of love through a different person. The human voice is used when God uses humans to reveal God’s truth to one another (Keeler, 8). When I laid down that evening I expected to feel sad and reflect back on a day of sorrow; however, as I looked back I could only see love and comfort flowing from God’s people lifting me, a sad child of God, while I grieved the loss of my big brother Shaun.
Special revelations may not always miraculously solve problems or clear a path; however, they do provide support from God that enables people to continue on through struggles, or towards hard times. Moses had a speech impediment, and God told him through the phenomena of a burning bush plus a voice that he would lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Obviously not a special revelation that solved any problems for Moses; in fact, this special revelation carried Moses on a long and hard journey. Moses did not make this challenging journey alone; God went with him and led the way. When I was comforted with the peace of the still small voice my hardships did not disappear; in fact, they continued on for several months, yet I was enabled to endure the hardships and be joyful because God was with me. Scriptures enabled me to worship my Lord more fully by putting into words the song that was within my soul. My community of faith comforted me and lifted me up because they took the time to sit with me in my grief and allow God to love me through them. “We live by faith, not by sight,” 2 Corinthians 5:7, in faith we trust God which in turn enables God to reveal Godself to us through special revelations.
Bibliography
Keeler, Randy. Jenzabar handout ministry unit session 1. How Does God Call us? 20 September 2008.
NIV Archaeological Study Bible. Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation. 2005.
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Writen for Biblical World View: Practical Ministry: Professor Randy Keeler
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
maybe i shouldn't go home
Last Wednesday evening just after 7 I got into my wonderful '91 Honda Civic to head home for a dentist appointment I had on Thursday morning. I had not been home since I came down to Bluffton and was looking forward to being home in an hour and a half.
Five hours later I arrive at home.
I was turning onto 108 when my car started acting strange. My lights dimmed, my radio turned off, and my RPMs were bouncing all around. Soon it returned to normal and I went through the town of Miller City. Of course when I re-enter the country my car starts acting up again. so I called my mom who was at church working with the Junior Highers (yes my mom, why? because my dad was on a mission trip in Mexico) and explained to her what was going on, she told me to call Caleb (my brother) in Fort Wayne.
While I was on the phone with Caleb my cars RPMs read 0, my lights dimmed more and more, and my radio quit again. In other words, my car died. I tried to pull off the road, but the ditch was steep, i tried to turn on my hazard lights, but they didn't work. On top of this, my phone is dieing, and i am in the middle of the country with no lights around.
The car that was a distance behind me slows down and pulls of the road in front of me. An older gentleman got out of the car and helped me get it off the road more. At this time another car stops behind me and two farm guys get out who luckily new the owners of the farm across the street. They helped me push the car into an old farm drive way and the older gentleman who stopped first offered to take me as far a Napoleon.
So, I got into the car with this stranger. Since my phone was dieing I used his cellphone to call my mom and let her know where I was exactly and that I'd meet her at the Napoleon Walmart (about 1/2 hour drive from where I was). I turned off my phone so save the battery in case I'd need it again and let Caleb know what was going on. He was not happy.
Harry B was the man's name and for the next half-hour we got to know each other. He was born in Germany, he was in Vietnam for a while, lived in Holgate for 6 years (a little town that we passed through on the way to Napoleon), and now lives in Napoleon. We talked about his daughters, my siblings, politics, the economy, the radio and how the news is so slanted, and all kinds of little things.
I called my mom when we arrived at Walmart, but she wasn't there yet so I told Harry that I'd walk around Walmart until she got there, thanked him and got out of the car.
When my mom got there she informed me that Nate and Paul Andre offered to drive out, load my car on their trailer and take drop it off in my grandma's shop. So we waited for them to arrive and headed back to my car.
On the way Nate got a phone call, he had previously arranged for my youth pastor Wendell to drive his truck into Archbold and drop the keys in a drop box at a shop. So Wendell drove a truck to the shop and left it there.
Meanwhile another man named Doug back at church is wondering who stole his truck out of the parking lot. Wendell called Doug's house because he had a question about the Internet, since nobody was home he left a message that said "hey Doug, give me a call." Back at church the police are about ready to be called since nobody is claiming the stolen truck as a prank ( I am still unaware of whether the police were called or not). Somehow Wendel and Doug got a hold of each other and the mystery was solved. Now Nate and Doug had to get the right trucks in the right places.
On our end of the phone the conversation is finished and we're almost to my car. Once we found it and got it loaded we head back into Napoleon first (so we could get my moms car) and then to my grandma's shop outside of Wauseon. By the time I finally arrive home it is almost midnight, and I am tired, and hungry (I didn't eat supper on campus. I work until 7 and decided to just wait another 1.5 hours until I was home so that I could have so tasty home cooked left overs).
My mom and I, being the wonderful mechanics we are, diagnosed the car as having an alternator problem. I did the stuff I had to do around home and I drove my dad's Caviler back to Bluffton.
Some trip home. I was expecting a nice stress free 1.5 hour trip and a nice relaxing time; instead I had a nerve racking, hitch hiking, 5 hour trip home. Thank goodness for my church family for helping me get my car home, and praying for me as soon as they learned that I was riding in a car with a stranger and having a stressful night. Still, looking back, it was a great adventure and I'd so do it again!
Five hours later I arrive at home.
I was turning onto 108 when my car started acting strange. My lights dimmed, my radio turned off, and my RPMs were bouncing all around. Soon it returned to normal and I went through the town of Miller City. Of course when I re-enter the country my car starts acting up again. so I called my mom who was at church working with the Junior Highers (yes my mom, why? because my dad was on a mission trip in Mexico) and explained to her what was going on, she told me to call Caleb (my brother) in Fort Wayne.
While I was on the phone with Caleb my cars RPMs read 0, my lights dimmed more and more, and my radio quit again. In other words, my car died. I tried to pull off the road, but the ditch was steep, i tried to turn on my hazard lights, but they didn't work. On top of this, my phone is dieing, and i am in the middle of the country with no lights around.
The car that was a distance behind me slows down and pulls of the road in front of me. An older gentleman got out of the car and helped me get it off the road more. At this time another car stops behind me and two farm guys get out who luckily new the owners of the farm across the street. They helped me push the car into an old farm drive way and the older gentleman who stopped first offered to take me as far a Napoleon.
So, I got into the car with this stranger. Since my phone was dieing I used his cellphone to call my mom and let her know where I was exactly and that I'd meet her at the Napoleon Walmart (about 1/2 hour drive from where I was). I turned off my phone so save the battery in case I'd need it again and let Caleb know what was going on. He was not happy.
Harry B was the man's name and for the next half-hour we got to know each other. He was born in Germany, he was in Vietnam for a while, lived in Holgate for 6 years (a little town that we passed through on the way to Napoleon), and now lives in Napoleon. We talked about his daughters, my siblings, politics, the economy, the radio and how the news is so slanted, and all kinds of little things.
I called my mom when we arrived at Walmart, but she wasn't there yet so I told Harry that I'd walk around Walmart until she got there, thanked him and got out of the car.
When my mom got there she informed me that Nate and Paul Andre offered to drive out, load my car on their trailer and take drop it off in my grandma's shop. So we waited for them to arrive and headed back to my car.
On the way Nate got a phone call, he had previously arranged for my youth pastor Wendell to drive his truck into Archbold and drop the keys in a drop box at a shop. So Wendell drove a truck to the shop and left it there.
Meanwhile another man named Doug back at church is wondering who stole his truck out of the parking lot. Wendell called Doug's house because he had a question about the Internet, since nobody was home he left a message that said "hey Doug, give me a call." Back at church the police are about ready to be called since nobody is claiming the stolen truck as a prank ( I am still unaware of whether the police were called or not). Somehow Wendel and Doug got a hold of each other and the mystery was solved. Now Nate and Doug had to get the right trucks in the right places.
On our end of the phone the conversation is finished and we're almost to my car. Once we found it and got it loaded we head back into Napoleon first (so we could get my moms car) and then to my grandma's shop outside of Wauseon. By the time I finally arrive home it is almost midnight, and I am tired, and hungry (I didn't eat supper on campus. I work until 7 and decided to just wait another 1.5 hours until I was home so that I could have so tasty home cooked left overs).
My mom and I, being the wonderful mechanics we are, diagnosed the car as having an alternator problem. I did the stuff I had to do around home and I drove my dad's Caviler back to Bluffton.
Some trip home. I was expecting a nice stress free 1.5 hour trip and a nice relaxing time; instead I had a nerve racking, hitch hiking, 5 hour trip home. Thank goodness for my church family for helping me get my car home, and praying for me as soon as they learned that I was riding in a car with a stranger and having a stressful night. Still, looking back, it was a great adventure and I'd so do it again!
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