TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 3:1-22
TO CHEW ON: “While Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of the Lord came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.” Luke 3:2
I wonder if John the Baptist fit in with the other boys his age. Did he play? Was he mischievous and spunky? In every Bible mention of him he appears intense, earnest, focused – one of God’s rockets.
In today's passage he would have been 30-ish (a few months older than Jesus) and spending time, not with a wife or friends but alone in the desert. But not really alone because God was there. During his desert retreat, “the word of the Lord” came to him.
The word used for “word” here is rhema – as opposed to logos. Rhema is the part of God’s entire word (the logos) which communicates to the reader/hearer. It is the same word used in the Ephesians 6 armor of God passage (“And take…the sword of the Spirit which is the word [rhema] of God”) where as believers are told to wield a portion of the word as a sword in the time of need.
The rhema which came to John that day in the desert was the message of repentance. Preaching it became his destiny.
Though you are probably not as intense and serious as John, God’s rhema word can come to you too. Looking for and finding such a message every day can make your relationship with God come alive. If you are having trouble hearing God, try these things:
1. Pray that God will open your ears to His voice.
2. Keep a record of God’s rhema words to you. They may come in many ways – through reading the Bible, hearing Scripture in song lyrics, remembering Bible verses, listening to talks, lectures or podcasts of Bible teachers…
3. Obey and put into action the things God tells you.
PRAYER: Dear God, I would like to hear from You every day. Please help me to be open and receptive to Your words.
MORE: Do you have a rhema word or passage that has guided your life?
Mercy Me sings "Word of God Speak."
Violet, this is one of the things I love most about God, that He speaks so personally and individually to us. I have a handful of special memories of times He's spoken to me like this, and I agree -- we need to ask, listen and obey daily.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great song you've included, too.
When you say "I have a handful of special memories of times He's spoken to me like this..."
ReplyDeleteI think hmmm, you write wonderful weekly devotions on your blog J. I'd definitely consider those examples of God's word speaking personally to you. Maybe it happens more often than you think. (And I do love that song!)
Violet, you are an encourager! And God's word does connect with me personally for those devotions (as it obviously does with you for these) or there'd be nothing of value there. I was thinking of the most special ones, where it was very personal and unexpected, and I sure didn't mean to sound like I was complaining! :)
ReplyDeleteNo - 'complaining' never entered my mind.
ReplyDelete