Do you ever hear God talk to you? I never thought I did.... I have never seen the Heavens open up and a loud booming voice above saying, "Kelly, do you hear me?" I've never run across a burning bush... and I don't hear a man's voice in my head...and never has a very old man dressed in white with a long flowing beard ever graced my front door. (that has always been my impression on how He would look)
A few years ago when I had filed for divorce from my husband (whom I am currently madly in love with)...it seemed to me that every sermon our pastor preached he said "Kelly, divorce is wrong... it'll hurt your kids, and God hates divorce... Listen up... do ya hear me?" I listened.... it took three years for me to put action to what God wanted and I keep asking myself why didn't I do it sooner?
Yesterday I was on Face Book - my guilty pleasure - and read what a friend gave as her status: "I want to know if I pray and hear from God, but others don't agree with what God told me, should they tell me to keep praying? Will God change his plan because I pray MORE??....
That status got me to thinking....God has a plan for each and everyone of us... What He may want for me might not necessarily be what He wants for you.... God does answer our prayers and He does clarify what He wants.... I believe for us to understand Him is to be in constant prayer.... One of the comments made to my friend was that God Never changes His mind (that was my comment) and in response to my comment another of her friends said, "I have a ministry so I know that God has changed His mind.. not His plan.... but He does change His mind..." She brought up a couple of things that happened in the Bible. This is what she said...Actually in Genesis 18 God did change his mind. When he first wanted to destroy Sodom, Abraham asked him if he would destroy the righteous with the wicked. God told him that if he could find 50 good men he would save the nation, eventually Abraham talked God into saving the nation for 10 good men.
And in Matthew 15 when the Canaanite pleaded with Jesus to heal her daughter, Jesus told her he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel, she persisted. So he told it would not be right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs. To which she replied that even dogs get crumbs from their master's table. Jesus rewarded her faith by healing her daughter. So this is 2 instances where God was willing to change his mind. I don't believe he changes his plans, love, or purposes for us, but sometimes he does shift the way in which they are fulfilled.. With all respect to my friend's friend - I have to completely disagree with her interpretation.
Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord,I do not change
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
The Scriptures that are interpreted as God seeming to change His mind are human attempts to explain the actions of God. God was going to do something, but instead did something else. To us, that sounds like a change. But to God, who is omniscient and sovereign, it is not a change. God always knew what He was going to do. God does what He needs to do to cause humanity to fulfill His perfect plan.
I am not an expert of the Bible.. nor have I studied the Bible in school.. What I do know is what I feel... what I think... am I right? I can't guarantee it..but I feel it to be true... What do you think?
1 comment:
That's a lot to think about. I know God has a plan for us but He gave us a will to choose what we do with our lives. I believe He also knows whether we will follow His plan or not. You may be right. In order for us to do His plan and He knows we really want to follow His plan, then He might do whatever it takes to convince us. Especially if we seek His will with our whole heart. We might try to change His will like Abraham did but God knew what the outcome would be, but He needed to convince Abraham so He said He would do what Abraham asked. Of course we know what the outcome was.
I'm like you I don't know the depth of the scriptures enough to make any kind of statement about what God might or might not do. I agree with you.
I want all of my extended family and my husband's extended family to be saved and I pray for them, some have accepted Christ, but it's their choice. I do believe God honors our prayers and does everything possible to make them see their need of Jesus but again, it's their choice. I just pray that they will make the right choices and when the Holy Spirit calls then they will say yes.
Wow, a very deep subject. We just have to stay prayed up and ready to answer His call.
Blessings,
AliceE.
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