Our God Speaks.

This past summer in the Himalayas a theme that was a continual reminder and comfort was “GOD SPEAKS”. He speaks healing, he speaks truth, he speaks love, he speaks promises, and he speaks tenderly.

Last week I was “randomly” reading in John 20 talks about Jesus’ empty tomb. Mary goes to visit the tomb and finds nothing; she runs back to tell the rest of the guys that they got to come see that someone has taken their Jesus. In disbelief the disciples RUN to the tomb, when they saw the empty tomb, they believed her. The disciples left and had to be feeling so discouraged; however, Mary stays at the tomb. Perplexed, confused, and emotionally drained due to the events of the past week, Mary weeps. Then messengers from the Lord appeared and asked her “Woman why are you crying?” and she responds in utter sadness that someone had taken her Lord. Then behind her a man’s voice asks the same question “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

The man speaking these words was Jesus. He knew why she was weeping, he knew who she was looking for: HIM. Mary did not realize it was Jesus until he said it…

(I just imagine Jesus’ face with the smile/smirk of knowing what is about to happen, eyes that are beckoning Mary in the tender way that only a true friend can do, he had to be so excited and bracing himself for the embrace and love that is about to come.)

Then he said it….MARY….He said her name. IMMEDIATELY SHE KNEW IT WAS HER JESUS.

She turns towards him and cries out “Rabboni!” which means teacher in Aramaic. I can only imagine the other words that came out of her mouth when she saw her Savior and Friend who was DEAD, but was now standing before her. If that were me I would be running my mouth a mile a minute. I can only imagine the tears that were just being wept in pain, anguish and hopelessness are now transformed into tears of JOY, EXCITEMENT, and HOPE! Could this really be?

I love though that the turning point of the story is when Jesus speaks Mary’s name.

Our God speaks.

He speaks tenderly, lovingly and in such a way that elicits peace and excitement.

This same voice that calls us my name so tenderly and lovingly is the same voice that is talked about in this beautiful Psalm: the voice that is MIGHTY, POWERFUL AND MAJESTIC!

Psalm 29

¹ Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

² Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his ^[a] holiness.

³ The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

⁴ The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

⁵ The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶ He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Sirion ^[b] like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the LORD strikes
with flashes of lightning.

⁸ The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the LORD twists the oaks ^[c]
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

¹⁰ The LORD sits ^[d] enthroned over the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

¹¹ The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

We serve an amazing God. This God speaks.

This God deserves all the glory, honor and praise.

May you ask the Lord to speak to you. Daily as you put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6) may the belt of truth be the words of truth that our God speaks to you.

May you ask the Lord to speak promises to you from his word.

May you find in the craziness of this life to listen to this God who speaks. May your ears and heart be tuned into the voice of our amazing heavenly Abba, Papa, Daddy, Father.

And the crazy things is that the Lord wants to speak through you and me. Just as we as believers are called to be his hands and feet in this world we are also called to be his mouth piece. There are people who are hurting, who like Mary are weeping in desperation and hopelessness.

May we be ones who speak truth and love to this world so that they can be drawn into a relationship with this mighty amazing God who speaks.