5. Old Testament Walkers and Talkers

Check on progress - 1.

Praying

Is this what you had in mind, Lord? How am I going? And where do I go now?

Listening

Yes, my son, you are on track. Now reflect back over these people in the Old Testament with whom I walked and talked, and about whom you have written. Let me guide your thoughts as you summarise the lessons to be passed on.

Thinking

In the Old Testament the people to whom God spoke with few exceptions were to be leaders or great men of God. The notable exception seems to be Manoah' s wife, the mother of Samson, although her son was to be an important leader. And there were few women - Eve, Sarah, Rebecca, and Manoah. Why was this? I sense that it was because God's spirit was not given widely to all. The Lord came to key people at key times, but it seems to be different from our day.

The Spirit of God has always been moving across the earth, even from the very first day when "the wind from God swept over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1: 2). God has moved in the hearts of men and women from the dawn of time, but what is different now is that in Jesus, he has told us all about this, has increased our awareness, shown us his power, and visibly anointed individuals. Now the Spirit is given openly to all who love God, and confess the Father made known to us through Jesus Christ, the Son. There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female (Galatians 3: 28). Each of us is called to have a walking and talking relationship with God.

Praying

Your first recorded words to man moved me, Lord. "You are free..." (Genesis 2: 16; N.I.V.) I don't need to expand on this again, but I thank you again for the freedom we have in you, the freedom to talk with you as I am doing now, with, as it were, a direct line - individual to Almighty God, mortal to immortal, transient to eternal, finite to infinite, weak to strong. This is mystery, Lord, and a glorious freedom that lifts me again and again beyond the constraints of this temporal world of space, time, gravity, and selfish humanity. Thank you again Lord, that you came to set us free.

The next thing I note is that sin, or rather unrepentant sin, stops the dialogue. This applied to Adam, Cain, Noah and others. By contrast, Enoch, Moses, and probably Abraham, knew you and talked with you throughout their entire life. Lord, I can't begin to approach the stature of these men, but I give you full permission, to nudge me and prompt me whenever I have a need to come to you in confession. Part of my personality is that I am both a poor listener and have a free and active tongue. I am at risk of not hearing people, and saying things that I regret. You know how this has got me into trouble from time to time. Lord, I pray today that you will take these weaknesses and make them into strengths as I learn how to listen to you more clearly, how to respond, and how to walk with you.

Listening

My son, part of the secret of this is awareness. As you keep in your consciousness the fact and reality that I am always with you (Matthew 28: 20), you will find it easier to hear my voice speaking to you.

Praying

Lord, the next thing that I notice is that walking and talking with God was not a private thing. People knew that Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and many others walked with you. It was not a matter of bragging, but it did begin with a lifestyle of integrity. From this baseline of faith emerged a pattern of life that was recognised by their peers as leadership and authority. Yes of course you assisted. It's hard to imagine 80-year-old Moses walking back from the bush and taking on Pharaoh let alone leading two million people without the signs of his staff, and then your hand, for example, in the plagues of Egypt. Many other people demonstrated your power - Samson, David, Elijah, Daniel, and Jonah. Lord, I don't seek this kind of outpouring of your spirit, but neither did they. Help me to walk humbly before you, enabling you to encourage the process of leadership, and teaching people how to come to close to you in conversation.

Listening

I will answer this request, my son, but remember that I have already touched you with my power when I healed you (March 1999). You have already described this in Chapter 2 (Preparing) and I will give you opportunities to speak about it. People need to know that I act in the world today with the same power that I gave to men in Biblical times. I am continuing to draw men unto myself and it is my intention to use you and your experiences in this - beginning now with this instruction about conversational prayer. In the same way, I want to use all of your brothers and sisters and encourage them to speak of me freely and about the way that I act in their lives.

Praying

Now I come to David, Lord, to his life, but more particularly to the Psalms. I sense that more than anyone else in the Scriptures he has been bold enough to expose his inner thoughts and weaknesses. We have been particularly blessed because he was able, under your direction, to share some of the innermost aspects of his faith in the language of the soul rather than the mind. You were known as the Son of David, Lord, but the lineage was not only genetic. Your body was descended from his, but his soul was descended from you. That is a mystery, but one I can participate in because we have been reborn into you, and you have given us your Spirit.

Listening

My son, these are deep matters and ones that are not easily understood by people until faith has begun to grow. Keep thinking about it. Later on there is a need for a chapter addressing specifically the prayer-psalms of David. I will help you write this (see Chapter 11; Thirty Psalms).

Praying

This is very humbling, Lord. Just now I need to be silent before you, to know your presence and to worship you. This is also part of conversation with you.

Thinking

The final section of the Old Testament is about the way God spoke through the prophets. They spoke with absolute authority, and people heeded or paid the consequences. This is very different from conversational prayer and needs to be handled in a different way and a different time?

Hearing God's voice with the instruction to reiterate it with authority as a prophet is a parallel gift but it is not one that is given to everybody. Spiritual gifts are given for the benefit of the church (1 Corinthians 12), and it is therefore inappropriate for everybody to have this specialised gift of prophecy to mankind. By contrast, we are all called to draw close to God, to walk with him, to listen to his voice and respond in our souls.

However, this special gift of prophecy is preceded by a gift of faith and needs to be undergirded by a close devotional walk with God. This is the important lesson that is shown by the life of the prophets.

Copyright Howard Smith 2002. All Rights reserved.

For comments or responses, please contact