One time during my career as an IT Project Manager, my employer identified a training need for those whose role entailed delivering presentations. Two external instructors were contracted to run residential courses designed to help us with public speaking and the communication of information. Having trained at Bible College and being a regular preacher at that time, I didn’t feel that I needed to attend; however, the course was on offer, and it seemed to me that surely it could only be of benefit, so I signed myself up. We had been instructed to prepare a short talk/presentation to be delivered on the first day. There was no stipulation about subject matter as the emphasis was on communication rather than profession-related content. This seemed to be a good opportunity to speak about something spiritual. It would have been quite inappropriate to preach, or to talk about the gospel, so I chose instead to relate a story from the book of Daniel – Belshazzar’s feast (Daniel 5). This had the advantage of being historic, interesting, dramatic and also unlikely to offend anyone from a Jewish or muslim background. All importantly, it also allowed me to conclude with a personal challenge for my audience. After recounting the background, telling of the finger of God writing in the plaster of the wall right in front of Belshazzar’s eyes, and outlining Daniel’s interpretation of both the words and their meaning, I addressed my audience directly. My simple question to them was: If God were to write in the plaster of your wall, what message do you think he would have for you?
Ploughing on
As Christians, we aren’t dependent upon such methods of communication from God today; we have various Bible versions available for us to read and study, and most importantly, the Holy Spirit speaks to us directly. Even so, I wonder if we might sometimes be so busy ploughing on with our lives that we don’t actually pause to ask God if there is anything that he wants to say to us personally, now. It is easy to become wholly task-focused, even where the ‘tasks’ are of a spiritual nature. We may sing songs about wanting to hear God, but do our actions reflect this necessity? Do we truly ask him what he wants to say, and do we then sit at his feet actively listening for his response?
Desperate
Beltashazzar, of course, wasn’t looking to hear from God, at least not until the traumatic episode occurred, at which point he was desperate to know what had been written on the wall and summoned Daniel to interpret for him. It surprises me that, even after being given the very bad news by Daniel, the king still rewarded him handsomely. Daniel had previously declined the proposed reward, so there was no apparent need for it to be given. But even so, the king, who was soundly condemned by what Daniel explained to him, did as he had declared he would. Perhaps, having been found wanting in such a dramatic way, Beltashazzar aimed to avoid incurring God’s wrath any further. As Christians, we don’t have to be concerned about the wrath of God. But perhaps we need to be mindful of the potential for his being disappointed with us, saddened by our lack of readiness to seek his face. Maybe he recognises our reluctance to respond positively, should he challenge us about the suppositions we have made concerning how we should live, or what we should do.
Disruption
Let’s be honest, most of us don’t welcome disruption to our preconceived ideas of how things are ‘supposed’ to work. This is where a lot of religiousness originates – our attempts to tame God, to encase him in a shell or our own making, such that we don’t deal with him directly but attempt to do so through religious practices, albeit perhaps, very ‘spiritual’ ones. We are all susceptible to this inclination. First thing each morning, I spend some time praying and then reading a chapter from whatever biblical book I am going through at the time. I honestly believe that I am open to God speaking to me – I ask him to do so. I commit my day to him. I ask the Holy Spirit to fill me, lead me, and give me the words to say during any interpersonal encounters I might have (and whatever I might be writing). God is faithful in this; I have the sense of him being with me. However, I have to confess that it is rare for me to say Father, what do you want to say to me, and then for me to sit and listen for his voice. I tend to ask, and then resume my everyday life. Although I hear from him, I am not good at sitting at his feet to listen, at giving him an open invitation to challenge my expectations or to redirect me.
Volunteering
Often God has to bring us to the end of ourselves before we will be ready to listen and to actually hear him. Maybe this is something that we need to volunteer for, rather than it being done to us. Perhaps we should be more ready to sit down with God without any preconceived ideas of what he might want to say. It is a good thing, once in a while, to bear our souls before our loving Heavenly Father, seeking any correction that he may wish to give us, any challenge to our behaviour, adjustment to our trajectory, or even to tell us that we need to stop what we are doing and regroup under his direction. We worship the only true God, he who deserves our all. Let’s not be afraid to risk being broken, because if we willingly submit to him, we do so in the certain knowledge that he will always put us back together, making us truly whole, usable and able to bring glory to him.