In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
Hebrews 1:1 NIV
God’s Communication
Different cultures communicate in different ways and Canada is no different. Canada is what is known as a low context communication culture. People focus on words and what is said when communicating. Canadians, therefore, tend to be quite direct; they tend to say what they think and think what they say. They don’t rely very much on non-verbal cues. Unlike in high context cultures like Japan, China, and South Korea, people do not place a huge emphasis on saving face, keeping harmony, and protecting feelings.
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There are many things about the God of the Bible that are unique – so very different from the gods of other religions, whom the Bible calls no gods at all. There is only one true God, and even among the pagan nations that surrounded Israel, Yahweh was known as the God who speaks. That was proven in the battle between the prophets of Baal and Elijah, God’s prophet, on Mount Carmel. Elijah was just one of God’s prophets through whom God spoke into the world He had created. Hebrews 1:1 says, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,” God is never quiet. He longs to speak to us, even though sin has separated us from Him, and He has done so regularly throughout the history of His people. As we read the prophets and all they wrote, recorded in the Hebrew scriptures, we clearly hear God’s voice, speaking into the everyday lives of the people of Israel, and pointing towards the coming of Jesus, the final word. If you want to hear God speak, take time today to read the Bible, asking the Holy Spirit to speak it into your heart.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley