Sunday December 8th

Signs

It seems to me that God is a God of signs.  Signposts.  Warnings and information and maps.  He announces things - tells what He is going to do before He does it.

One of my favourite verses in the Bible is in Amos 3:7   ' Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servant the prophet'.     Im not sure why He does it - but this is how He works.  He revelas His plans.  He wants to work with His people in partnership and cooperation, not as a dictator who acts first and explains later.

Throughout the bible we see God speaking to His people and telling them what is going to happen next.  What they are to expect and how they are to respond to what happens.  Noah is told to build an ark,  Moses is told that the slaves in Egypt are to be brought to freedom, Joseph sees his future in dreams, and throughout the old testament there are myriad signposts to the fact that God is planning to send a Saviour.
And then at the birth of Jesus signs in the heavens, angelic visitations, fulfillment of those old testament promises.........
God is still revealing His plans.     Are we listening??

God speaks to us in many ways.  Im hoping that today for some of you He might be speaking through this blog and these signposts.  He speaks through His Word - the Bible.  His people.  Nature. The still small voice of His Spirit within us.  He speaks through dreams and visions.  Even, very occasionally, by an audible voice.    He loves to speak.    Are we listening?


What God says is sometimes hard to hear.  Sometimes we are on the brink of making bad decisions.  Or we are headed down a wrong road.  We think we are right and we can't see an alternative.    Are we listening?  And are we prepared to change our plans?

If Joseph hadnt been listening and had not been prepared to change his plans to divorce Mary ..... well who knows what would have happened then?   But thankfully, against every teaching he had ever received, against everything his culture told him to be right, against his personal sense of betrayal and deep suspicion and heartbreak, he listened.  And obeyed.   Amazing man Joseph.  Unsung hero of the Bible .

Today as we go to church, as we ponder the coming of Jesus at Christmas, as we go about our lives and have our Sunday lunch and spend time with our families God will be speaking.  We might really really need to see the signpost today.   Lets be listening.

Lord I thank you so much that You will always show us the way.  That You are the Way.  That you came to earth 2000 years ago to be the signpost and the doorway and the road to the Father.  Today I pray that you would reveal your plans to your servants the prophets and show us what You would have us do, where You would have us go, what needs to change.   And give us the resolve to do what You ask of us.    Amen